Finders Keepers
by SuddenlySandi
Summary: Bella and her friends go to a cabin for a fun vacation. Someone is determined not to let them out alive. All human.
1. Chapter 1 to 3

_**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Characters.**_

_**Finders Keepers**_

Graduation brought the instantaneous feeling of being an adult. One day we were kids in school, the next we are suddenly preparing for college and ready to take on the world. Our relationships changed, too. Teen romances took on deeper meaning when the possibility of being together forever became real.

"Rosalie," I yelled in protest. "You can't take that much luggage. I won't even be able to see to drive."

"I need every single thing I packed, nothing is disposable," she demanded.

"Emmett, tell her."

"Come on, Babe; let me bring some of it with me when I come up next week."

"Fine," she finally relented.

I pulled the largest bag from the pile and drug it over to Emmett. Edward continued packing my old jeep as my dad looked on in disapproval.

"Bells, come here a sec," Dad said, as he walked to the side of the house.

I knew what was coming. We had planned this getaway many months ago, and rented a large cabin in a remote area, for six couples. The girls, me, Alice, Rose, Lauren, Jessica, and Angela were going to spend a week there before the guys came up for the final weeks rental.

We wanted our boyfriends to come with us, but due to work schedules and an extended baseball season, they had to wait. I wasn't sure which Charlie was the most upset about, having the guys with us, or having the girls in such a remote area alone.

"I want you to behave responsibly and…"

"Dad," I interrupted. "When have I ever behaved anything but responsibly?"

"I know, and I am aware you just graduated and you are eighteen but, well, it's just that you and Edward…"

"If I wanted to have sex with Edward I wouldn't have to rent a cabin to do it," I pointed out.

"I'm just saying, behave responsibly," he reiterated.

"I will, don't worry," I assured him.

I actually had every intention in the world of having sex with Edward while away. We had been dating for almost six months now and I felt it was time. If the world considered me and adult now, I wanted to have an adult relationship.

I made my way back to the jeep as Edward shut the tailgate," Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's just being protective. I think it comes with the badge," I teased. "What's up with Jasper?"

I noticed Alice trying to calm Jasper down, which was nothing new; Jasper was always worrying about something. Alice never tired of his constant hovering, but he drove the rest of us insane.

"He doesn't want her to go up early," Edward told me. "He's having a bad feeling or something."

"Jeeze, he better loosen his hold or he will drive her away," I said shaking my head.

"Why, you hear something?" Edward asked, surely wanting to warn his best friend if a break up was coming.

"No, I'm just saying." I looked over to see my dad staring at Edward in an attempt to be threatening. Edward followed my gaze.

"You know we don't have to do anything, I'm not pressuring you or anything."

"I know Edward; let's not have this conversation right now, okay?"

We had talked this subject to death. I wanted to have sex with him, and he wasn't ready. I understood his reason, but I wanted him to trust me and know with a certainty I wouldn't tear his world apart like Tanya did.

"Wait," he said in frustration. "If this is stressing you out, I can stay home and work extra hours."

I stared at him incredulously, thinking he changed his mind about moving forward in our relationship. "Do what you want," I finally answered, and headed to the drivers seat.

"What is your deal today, shouldn't you be in a good mood?" He followed me and I felt like he was trying to pick a fight. Most boyfriends would be dying to take the relationship to another level; surely desire would eventually win out.

I held onto the steering wheel and looked over at Jasper. "I just want to get out of here, we are already running late and who knows what kind of drama Jasper is going to add."

Edward let out a long breath and kicked at a rock. I sat silently waiting for him to say something, but he remained quiet. I turned on the engine and honked for the girls to hurry up with their goodbyes.

"So, should I plan on you, or not?" I asked him with tears threatening.

He looked at me for several moments then stuck his head in the window and kissed me hard and passionately, until my dad called out his name. He back away a few inches from my mouth and said, "I do love you, you know that right?"

"Is there a 'but' coming?" I asked.

He smiled one of his heart stopping smiles. "Yeah, my butt is coming up next week."

I smiled and mouthed, "I love you."

"Get out of here before your dad shoots me," he said as he stepped back from the vehicle.

Rosalie climbed in the front, giving Lauren, Jessica and Angela the back seat, but kept her legs outside the door, wanting Alice to sit in the middle. Rosalie's five foot ten inch frame could not squeeze into the small space, but tiny Alice could.

"If he drags this out I am going to run him over," I complained when Jasper grabbed Alice's arm as she tried to walk away.

He pulled her into a long kiss and I was finally grateful Charlie was there to break it up. Alice skipped over to the jeep while Jasper looked like someone ran over his puppy. I was so ready for some girl time away from it all.

We headed out screaming and honking as I turned the music loud. I fully expected to see Charlie following behind with lights flashing, but I was willing to bet he wanted a 'talk' with the guys.

We drove for over an hour before turning off onto an obscure dirt road. It was another hour of winding through thick forest before we finally hit a road block.

"What the hell is this?" I said in aggravation.

A large construction barrier with a flashing strobe was blocking the road.

"There's something written on it," Angela noticed.

We piled out of the jeep and walked to the barricade.

**Pedestrian traffic only**

"I am not hauling my crap in heels," Rose demanded.

"Why are you even wearing heels into the forest?" I said disgusted.

"I don't own street shoes," she responded, as if it was stupid of me to ask.

"They don't make them in her size," Lauren whispered to Jessica causing them both to laugh.

"Let me call my dad and see what's going on." I pulled my phone out to see it had no signal, "Anyone, getting coverage?"

Everyone took turns checking their phones to find we were too far from a cell tower.

"Jasper is going to freak if I can't call him for a week," Alice mumbled.

"Poor Edward and Emmett," Rose whispered to me.

I looked past the barricade and didn't see a problem with the road. Angela pulled a satellite map from her pocket and splayed it out on the hood. We weren't too far from the cabin and couldn't see any possible issues that would lead the forest service to close the road.

"Maybe it is unstable for some reason," Lauren offered.

"They wouldn't let people walk on it if it was unstable," Jessica said. "Let's just chance it."

We all agreed to drive very slowly and try to make it to the cabin. It was only a fourth of a mile away, but it took us forever to crawl there. The road curved back and forth and each turn brought a new expectation for disaster. We pulled in front of the cabin with no clue why only foot traffic was allowed.

We paid top dollar for a cabin large enough for all twelve of us, and to have it stocked with food and supplies before we arrived. When I walked in, I knew it was worth every penny.

We all screamed and ran through the house claiming our rooms. Everyone agreed to give Rosalie and Emmett the room with the king size bed. Their large bodies earned them the right to have the extra room.

Angela insisted on taking the common area with the two couches since she was sure Ben would not be comfortable sharing a room. They had been dating for almost two years, but both agreed to abstinence.

Lauren and Eric were more 'friends with benefits' than an actual couple but she wanted to share a room with him anyway. Alice and Jasper was a no brainer…they would be joined at the hip, and other bodily places, as usual.

Jessica assured me she didn't care which room she and Mike had, so I chose the one farthest from the common area. If Edward and I were going to finally move forward in our relationship, I didn't want it within hearing distance of Emmett. I would never live his teasing down.

We put our bags in our respective rooms and headed outside to look around. A huge deck sported a large Jacuzzi, built in barbeque, with hammocks and Adirondack chairs everywhere. A rushing stream could be heard just beyond our sight, so we all headed out into the woods to check it out.

"I don't know why you would wear those stupid shoes out here," I repeated to Rose.

"Just shut up and help me," she said, trying to steady her tall legs as she used my shoulder for balance.

We finally made it to the stream and each commented on how much the boys were going to love it and how we wished we could call and tell them to bring fishing gear. It was relaxing hearing the noises of nature and the feeling of cool fresh air in our lungs.

We hung out at the creek way too long and dragging Rose back up the inclined hill was even harder than it was going down. It was almost dark when we made it back to the cabin.

"Anybody hungry?" Alice asked, while looking in the fridge.

"No," we all yelled in unison, determined to take off even one pound before the guys showed up.

"Let's just have popcorn and watch a movie," I suggested.

We separated to get into pajamas, or sweats, or in Rosalie's case, a silk nightgown that barely cleared her ass.

I unzipped my suitcase and began looking for my flannel bottoms with a tee when something made my blood turn to ice. I sat back and stared at the bag in shock. I tried to remember if anyone had opened it since I brought it out for Edward to load.

My father didn't go through it looking for condoms, did he? It had to have been Edward, looking for something, or maybe adding something. I moved my stuff around and couldn't see anything like a note or a gift.

I walked down the hall to Jessica's room. "Hey, Jess, was your luggage the way you packed it?"

She laughed and lifted the lid. Everything was just thrown in with no organization at all, almost as if it was her dirty clothes basket rather than her suitcase.

"I wouldn't know," she laughed. "Why?"

"Something's not right, I have never in my life packed my shoes on top of my clothes in a suitcase, but when I opened it that's how I found them."

"Maybe Edward repacked it."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking."

I couldn't shake the weird feeling I was having. I really wished there was a way to call Edward and find out for sure.

We settled in watching "City of Angles" and eating popcorn. Our diets quickly fell by the wayside when we found a large package of Twizzler's licorice and decided to start fresh tomorrow.

Lauren came up with a great idea and pulled out a huge knife from the kitchen drawer to cut the licorice sticks in half; helping us delude our stomach's into thinking we ate more than we did. The teenage girl psyche was a very dangerous place.

We were hyper and not ready for bed when the movie ended, so we decided to dish on our guys.

"I am not dating Eric," Lauren assured us for the hundredth time.

"What are you guys doing?" Angela asked.

"I don't know. He's going to Cal State for college and I'm staying in Washington, so we are just having fun. No strings."

"I don't know how you can do that," Angela said shaking her head.

"It is better than marrying as a teenager, just so I can get a little booty. You and Ben are going to regret getting married so young."

"No, we won't. Ben is who I want, so why should we wait….for the wedding I mean."

"You are just caving to your father's brainwashing. Do you even believe his sermons?"

"Stop it, Lauren," I broke in. "We are talking about our guys and that's it."

"Fine, Bella," she turned to me. "Are you and Edward finally going to do it next week?"

I had no idea how she knew and wondered if Edward was talking about it to his friends. I couldn't believe he would do that, but maybe it was helping him come to a decision. 

"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to look like she was the one who had her facts mixed up.

They all looked at each other and lowered their eyes. They definitely knew something and I felt my heart begin to race.

"Edward's life is not a secret," Rose said as she patted my hand.

"What happened with him and Tanya has nothing to do with me and Edward," I demanded as my hands pulled into fists.

"We know," Alice smiled softly. "Edward has been very vocal about never letting it happen again, so we just figured you guys were taking things slow and maybe it was time."

I felt my eyes tear up. I hated the fact that my boyfriend was the subject of town gossip, especially since it wasn't the real story and I couldn't set them straight.

I knew how Tanya had faked a pregnancy, and caused Edward to lose his scholarship to West Point, after having her father call an old Army buddy. Tanya came from a very powerful family and nobody messed with them.

Tanya wanted Edward, and the thought of him leaving the state was not acceptable to her, so she tried to trick him into staying. What she didn't figure was Edward's father having access to medical records at the hospital. Most of the town believed Edward dumped her after she miscarried, and Edward was threatened not to discredit the story, or he wouldn't ever get accepted into any university.

"It's not just Edward being cautious," I told them. "He's been really hurt and it is hard for him to trust now."

I quickly decided to change the subject. "So, when are you going to get Jasper jettisoned from your side? You two are like conjoined twins," I said to Alice.

"Poor, Jasper," she sighed, "he is so sensitive."

We all screamed and began throwing pillows at her. Our sugar high quickly wore off and we headed off to bed. I let Angela sleep with me, since she didn't want to be in the common area alone for the night.

It was close to noon when I finally dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The house was quiet and I figured I was the only one up, until I went to wash my hands. Written on my mirror in lipstick were the words, 'Finders Keepers.'

I picked up my make up bag and looked for my new lipstick that someone was going to pay me back for. I was pissed they would use it to write on a dirty mirror and then take it without asking.

I went into the common room and noticed the front door wide open. I walked outside and looked around, thinking one of the girls was going though the jeep for something. I couldn't see anyone, so I went back inside and shut the door.

I checked each room only to find its inhabitant still in bed. I guessed the wind blew open the door and we had unknowingly slept with it open.

Rose came into the room and dove onto a couch. "I'm starving, make me breakfast, pleeease," she moaned.

"Who was the funny girl last night?" I asked in irritation.

"Huh," she said into the pillows.

"Who wrote on my mirror with my brand new lipstick?"

"Not me," she said adamantly. "I was out cold as soon as I hit the pillow."

I went into the kitchen and began making pancakes. I had a huge stack by the time the others began filing into the room.

"You are an angel, Bella," Angela said.

I pulled the butter from the fridge and opened a drawer for a spreading knife. "You've got to be kidding me," I complained, "No, knives."

"There are knives," Lauren explained, "In the drawer next to the sink."

"That is where I am looking." I pushed the utensils around looking harder. "Where is the big one you had last night to cut the licorice?"

"In the sink," she called.

"No, it's not." I felt a shudder run through me.

Rose walked over to look in the sink and the dishwasher, nothing.

"You guys, this isn't funny, who wrote on my mirror?" I asked with a shaky voice.

Everyone froze and looked at me with fear in their eyes. I could tell by the looks on their faces it wasn't a prank.

"This morning when I got up the front door was wide open," I said quietly.

We all instinctively moved closer together. "And someone wrote in lipstick on my bathroom mirror." I turned and looked down the hallway. 

"What did they write?" Jessica asked.

_Finders Keepers_

"That is freaky," Rose said, moving even closer to me.

"Everyone, swear right now you didn't do it," I demanded.

Everyone quickly swore and Angela began to cry.

"Do you think it was the guys?" Lauren asked.

"Jasper, would never allow it," Rose pointed out.

"Let's get out of here and go back to the main road and call my dad, see what he advises," I said grabbing my purse.

We all ran in a mass back to the jeep and locked ourselves inside. I put the key in the ignition and nothing happened. The engine didn't even attempt to turn over.

We all turned to look at Rosalie, since she was the one who took automotive shop to be in Emmett's every class this past year.

"Pop the hood," she said as she climbed out of the car looking around hesitantly.

I pulled the lever and she only glanced towards the engine and got back inside, quickly locking her door.

"The battery is gone!" she whispered as we all sat in stunned silence.

**Chapter 2**

We sat staring forward, too terrified to move. The only sound was Angela quietly crying in the back seat. I tried to focus; my father would expect me to stay level headed. He lectured me constantly about staying calm in an emergency, and think things through.

"Lauren," I said forcefully. "Look behind you and see if the safety kit is still on the left side. Jessica, feel under the seat and see if Edward's bat is still there."

Lauren grabbed a little black bag and pulled it over the seat. "I can feel the bat," Jessica announced with hope.

I turned to look at Rose, "Take off those heels and give one to Alice."

"I can't fit into her shoes," Alice protested.

"You aren't putting it on; you are going to wield the heel as a weapon."

Alice's eyes grew wide and she hesitantly took the shoe. I began frantically looking around the jeep for anything we could use. I found a can of wheel shine under my seat and handed it to Angela.

"Ang," I said softly. "You spray this in someone's eyes and it will burn like hell. Can you do that?"

She reached out and took the can from my hand and removed the cap.

"Okay, I'm going to open my door and reach under you, Jess, for the bat. Once I get it out, you guys wait in here with the doors locked until I check the house."

"I'll come with you," Rose offered.

I nodded and saw her hold tightly to her shoe. I opened the door as quietly as I could and opened the back door by Jessica, as I continued looking toward the forest for any movement.

"Bella," she whispered, "Look under the jeep."

I felt my knees begin to shake. I had not thought of someone hiding under the jeep and I immediately began imagining hands grabbing my ankles. I ducked quickly to make a sweep of the ground and could only see Rosalie's bare feet on the other side.

"Damn it, Rose, you can't run in bare feet, get back in and let someone else come with me."

"Just hurry the hell up, while I still have the nerve," she whispered.

I pulled the bat out from under the seat and immediately saw the engraving; _Edward loves Bella_, on the handle. My heart ached thinking of all the time I spent at the indoor batting cages studying as he practiced his swing. Making it to the state championship was just what Edward needed after the horrible year he had. I really wanted to be there to see it.

I shut the jeep doors, and made sure Alice hit the lock, before heading into the house. Rose and I stopped in the entrance and listened carefully. Every bird, every sway of a branch, every crunch of the leaves, sent a shot of terror running through me.

We made our way down the hallway, briefly looking in the rooms; a more detailed search would have to wait. When we got to my bathroom, Rose gasped at the writing on the mirror.

"It isn't any of our handwriting," she said.

"Let's get the others and set up a safe room." I was trying to think of any little details I had learned from my father over the years. Any morsel of information that could help us make it through the night.

We waved the others into the house and they ran frantically slamming the door behind them. I grabbed a kitchen chair and jammed the back against the door knob keeping the door from opening if someone had a key.

"Okay, everyone go in pairs and check your rooms; check everywhere and bring anything we can use into this main room." I ordered.

"Like what?" Lauren asked.

"Anything, think outside the box, picture frames, hangers, check the closets for flashlights or candles."

I suddenly became very afraid. I knew the power box was on the outside of the house. It wouldn't take much to plunge us into darkness.

"Fill up the tubs and sinks with water in case we lose power we can still flush," I yelled out to them.

I began going through every drawer and pantry in the house looking for a tool box. I finally found a hammer and a screw driver.

I was franticly trying to come up with a way for us to lock out whoever was doing this and inspiration hit me. I ran to the bedrooms and began taking the closet doors off the hinges. Everyone helped me carry them to the main room and lay them in a pile.

"The chairs on the deck," I yelled. "Bring them all into the house."

We took turns hammering the chairs apart getting every spare nail we could manage.

"If this is just some prank we are going to have to pay big time," Alice noted.

"I will gladly pay if someone would jump out and tell me it was a prank," I said as I frantically worked.

We used the door panels to cover the windows and hammered the long nails to hold them. I knew it wasn't foolproof, but it gave us a sense of security. Finally, I filled large bowls full of water and placed them under the covered windows.

I took lamps and ripped the cords from the base and stripped the wires. "Okay," I began. "If anyone gets through those windows and through the wood barrier, dump the water on the ground and throw the cord into the water. If we have power we will fry the sucker long enough to get away. Don't step in the water….understand?"

"Shit, Bella, you're like MacGyver," Rose teased.

"We're gonna lose power," I told them and Angela began crying again. "I just can't think of any way to avoid it. We need candles and flashlights."

We all began tearing the house apart looking for anything we could burn when Jessica came across a box of ammo. "There has to be a gun somewhere," she squealed.

"Not necessarily," I told her. "But we can use the ammo to sound like we have a gun." I remembered my dad yelling at some kids for hitting bullets with hammers saying the gun powder could send fragments flying just like a gun. I would need to set up a shield so we wouldn't get hurt.

We finally found some candles wrapped in pillow cases, but we didn't have a lighter. If we lost power we were going to lose the stove too.

"What about the grill?" Angela suggested.

We all ran onto the deck and began hammering and pulling the wood frame from the barbeque and dragged it into the house. Alice began removing the netting from the hammocks and Lauren ran over to the Jacuzzi to get the long cleaning pole.

She placed her hand on the railing and felt something sticky. Pulling her hand slowly to her face she suddenly screamed and fell to her knees.

I saw the blood and thought she had cut her hand until I saw the Jacuzzi. It was red with blood and a head of some animal was floating in the water. I grabbed Jessica and pulled her to her feet and into the house.

Angela was sobbing hysterically and Jessica was shaking and turning white. I felt overwhelmed and couldn't see any way we were going to survive. Whoever was doing this could get us at any time; they were playing with us, taunting us for their amusement.

I had to force myself to calm down. If I lost it, the others would, too. Rose had grabbed some water for Jessica and was talking calmly to her. Alice yelled for Angela to give her the satellite map. She began looking closely for another cabin or someone else on this damned mountain. By all appearances we were alone.

I busied myself with setting up the candles and making sure I could light them in total darkness when I remembered my car kit. I grabbed it off the counter where Lauren sat it, and opened it to find a flashlight. I felt like something was finally going our way.

We pulled the cushions off the couch and sat against them in a circle. I was suddenly over come with emotions thinking about my irritation with Edward when I left. I wanted the opportunity to tell him I was sorry for my rotten mood and see his face one more time.

Edward was not the confident young man people assumed he was. His life had been so damaged and he was emotionally very fragile. I feared what this would do to him. I had always hoped going away to school would change him, now I would never know.

We were all deep in thought when we heard footsteps across the roof. Angela and Jessica were too close to shock to rely on them, but the rest of us were going to have to stay sharp.

"Shit," I yelled as I jumped up grabbing a broom. "Rose bring a chair." I ran down the hallway to the attic pull out. I shoved the broom against the square opening and placed the chair at an angle tightly under it, holding the wooden handle tight.

"We're going to die, Bella," she said calmly.

"We're going to die fighting," I told her, as my own tears began to fall.

We turned slowly towards the front door as we began hearing pebbles being tossed against the wood. We walked to the entrance, listening to the sound of steps in the gravel outside the door. I was trying to decipher if it was more than one person, but the sound was too muffled.

Suddenly a loud kick against the wood sent Rose and I stumbling backwards into each other and onto the floor. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking so badly I couldn't lift myself up.

A singsong mocking voice came through the door, "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers."

I stared dumbly at the wood separating us from our tormentor when a window shattered in the back of the house. I looked down the hallway at the bedroom doors we nailed into the frames.

I jumped up and pulled Rose back into the main room. I grabbed the bat and stood at the side of the dark hallway ready to swing if anyone came through that passage. Alice grabbed the hammer and placed herself right below me.

We waited until my arm began to cramp. We couldn't hear any sounds besides our own heavy breathing.

"Alice," I whispered. "If we make it through the night remind me to look for a hose and a sprayer tomorrow." I actually wanted to tell her if she happened to live and I didn't, she could use the sprayer to shoot cold water at someone coming in, but I finally realized it most likely wouldn't do any good. We would need some way to feed the hose into the house without allowing the intruder entrance. I was letting my mind come up with any thoughts to help us, no matter how ridiculous.

We finally made our way back into the circle and sat…waiting…listening. Out of the darkness came a horrible scream. It sounded like a baby howling in pain and we all clung to each other in fear.

"I know what that is," Jessica offered. "It is the sound rabbits make when you pull their legs apart."

"How do you know that?" Rose demanded, with tears running down her face.

"My cousin's used to do that when they found a rabbit nest. It brings wolves out to hunt."

I couldn't imagine someone doing that on purpose, the sound was heart wrenching and I wanted to cover my ears and never hear that sound again.

"Let's hope it's your sick ass cousins out there," Alice cried.

Something dawned on me as I listened to the horrible sound. "They aren't trying to come in," I pointed out. "They are messing with our minds. Either they know we are here alone for a week, and they want to terrorize us, or there is not enough of them to attack six of us."

"What are you suggesting?" Rose asked.

"Nothing, I'm just observing. Any man or woman could push in that door. They don't want to come in….yet."

I knew if they were waiting us out it would escalate over time. They were enjoying the fact we were so terrified, but soon that wouldn't be enough, our fear was only adding to their fun. We needed to act and not just react.

"Should we go after them?" Lauren said shakily.

Angela began shaking her head back and forth adamantly and I glanced at Rosalie.

"Do you think the next time they are at the door we should rush them, use the element of surprise?" Rose asked me directly.

I couldn't decide. I loved the idea of ending this, but we would be running right into the unexpected ourselves. What if I was wrong and a pack of guys were waiting out there for us.

"We have to be really certain about this. We need to understand we could be making it worse by opening that door," I said to see who was composed enough to depend on.

"I think we should try it," Rose said adamantly. "You take the bat and I take the hammer and we come out swinging."

"Only if we think there isn't more than one, okay?" I said nodding to her.

About an hour later the pebbles began hitting the door again. We all tensed and the others looked at me for direction. I whispered to Rose that as soon as the kick against the wood came I would pull out the chair and we would charge.

We tiptoed to the entrance and listened to the footsteps in the gravel. I could hear heavy breathing and the sound of something being dragged across the dirt before the taunting voice began again, "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers."

I had chills running through my body and I forced myself to think of anything to get my anger going. I imagined someone laughing at our fear and making poor Angela into a blubbering mess. Someone found this funny, or got off on scaring us, and that fueled my anger.

I motioned for Rose to get ready. A loud thud hit the door, so I pulled the chair and opened the door, screaming in rage as I ran onto the porch. I only made it a couple of steps when I instantly tripped over something, causing the bat to roll from my hands.

The sound of Rose screaming filled the air and I flipped over to see her grabbing her stomach and vomiting all over my legs.

My eyes moved to the large lump that had caused me to trip and I slowly recognized what I was lying on and screamed in utter horror.

Chapter 3

I felt like time slowed and my movements were over exaggerated. I twisted my upper torso to see what I had tripped on, as my hand reached out for the bat, which was rolling slowly away.

I saw the wet on my legs where Rosalie had heaved onto me and the thing lying below me. I saw the red heart of my t- shirt Edward bought me for Valentine's Day, which I thought was packed in my suit case, stretched tightly across the body of a woman. A woman I recognized as the one who brought me the key and the contract to sign for the cabin.

I pulled my legs across her corpse to rid myself of the horrendous barnacle that had attached to me, pulling her body sideways to stare vacantly into my eyes. Her white face had been painted garishly with my lipstick and a noose was tied tightly around her neck.

I crawled backwards, toward the bat, or towards my own death, I didn't know which. I became aware of my screaming echoing off the trees, mixed with Rosalie's agonizing cries. When my hand touched the bat I scrambled onto my feet and looked around wildly.

Nobody was in sight and the trees were shadowed and menacing. "Who are you?" I screamed with all my might. "What do you want?"

A voice came over a megaphone, seeming to come from every direction as the sound bounced around in the thick forest, "Finders Keeper, Losers Weepers."

"You coward," I screamed. "Come out, so I can see you."

The sick singing of the nursery rhyme continued until I fell onto my knees in despair. I covered my ears and yelled louder to make my voice heard over the speaker. "You sick bastard, you crazy, sick bastard."

Alice had made her way to the porch with a blanket and threw it over Mrs. Klein as Lauren put her arms around Rose to support her shaking body.

"Bella," Alice called softly, "Come back inside, please."

I kept my ears covered trying to block out the disturbing voice, hugging the bat to my chest. I wanted nothing more than the opportunity to take one swing at the psychotic bastard.

I finally forced myself to stand with the adrenaline coursing through my body; I walked over to the small elevated slab patio and stood at the head of the covered body. I stood there, filled with rage, and fear, and hate. I stood there, waiting for either my demise or my victory, but I was no longer willing to hide behind the wooden door.

As I waited for the horrid lyrics to end I thought of Mrs. Klein. I thought of her husband, and children, and parents. It slowly began to meld into my family. My father, who would want justice and revenge and knowing he knew better than to allow me to go all along. Then Edward, who would eat himself up with guilt for not being here with me. He had such a hard year and Tanya would throw his suffering in his face, feeling validated in his misery.

"No," I screamed with such force the singing stopped. "No," I yelled again just as strong. I was not going to allow someone to do to my family what they did to Mrs. Klein's. I was not a victim and I was not about to become one.

"Rose," I called authoritatively, "Tell Jessica and Angela to get their asses up and get out here."

"Bella, come inside please," she begged.

"Go get Jessica and Angela," I yelled back at her.

She ran into the house and they all returned, looking at me like I had lost my mind. I knew they were depending on me and I tried to remain calm, but my veins were pulsing with anger.

"This will not happen to us," I said pointing at the body. "Do you hear me?"

Angela swallowed hard and straightened her shoulders a bit. Jessica looked at me through her puffy eyes. "How can you say that, are you going to defend us with a bat? Do you think that will make it all even? We're going to die, Bella."

I stepped towards her ready to slap her face when Alice grabbed my hand to stop me. "_WE,_ Jess," I screamed at her. "_WE_ are going to defend ourselves and _WE_ will use our bare hands if _WE _have to."

I wasn't going to let my friends down. I was going to make them strong no matter what it took. I wasn't ready to die and I wasn't ready to lose a single one of them, so I knew I had to motivate them to fight with me.

The singing began again and Jessica cringed and sunk back into Alice's arms. Whoever it was stayed hidden in the trees and I began to realize something. I turned slowly towards the forest and smiled, "There's only one. He needs the megaphone when we are out here because he is alone."

I thought for a minute as we listened to the constant singing and came up with a plan. If I knew for certain there was only one surely six girls could handle it, but I had to know for sure. "Let's go back inside," I insisted.

"What about her?" Angela asked pointing at Mrs. Klein's legs.

We looked at each other warily, nobody willing to touch the body. "Leave it," I finally said and escorted them back into the house. My father always cautioned me about moving evidence and there was nothing we could do to help her, so I had to stay focused on getting us out alive.

I pulled the broom from the attic hold and tugged on the rope to lower the stairs.

"What are you doing, Bella?" Rose demanded.

"I need to sneak onto the roof. I have to see where he is and make sure there is only one. If anything happens, put the broom back in place to keep the opening shut."

I turned to look at the other girls. "If I can be sure there isn't more, we're taking him out, so prepare mentally."

"Be careful," Angela cautioned.

I smiled and climbed the stairs before my adrenalin wore off. Once in the attic I only had the hallway opening for light and tried to feel my way to the small wooden air exchange. I had the perfect view of the east side of the forest, but it was limited and too dark to see anything.

I waited several minutes watching for movement before I made my way to the arched dormer window. I stood back and watched again for movement. I tried lifting the pane and it slid effortlessly letting me know someone had used it recently.

My hair on my neck stood on end imagining someone hiding in the dark space watching my every move. I crawled onto the roof and lay flat against the smelly mossy tiles. I didn't move, but listened with every nerve of my body.

I could picture Edward's face, smiling at me and telling me he was so proud of me for making it out alive. I would kiss his perfect lips and tell him how much I loved him, and I would never hurt him like Tanya did.

I don't know how long I had been hidden in the shadows when I heard the crunching sound of footsteps coming out of the forest. I slowly slid my cheek to the other side and lay perfectly still.

He walked into the moonlight and I saw him, his long blond hair was pulled into a ponytail and his exposed arms were covered in tattoos. He walked along the edge of the trees to the far side of the house, so I had to drag myself silently to the edge of the roof line to see him. He took a small flashlight out of his pocket and flashed it towards the road.

I saw a quick succession of flashes return from about and eighth of a mile away.

Shit….he wasn't alone….and our exit was being watched.

I began sliding back towards the window when the sound of footsteps coming from the opposite direction startled me. I froze and prayed I hadn't been spotted. The sound headed in my direction and then broke into my line of sight, heading for the long haired man.

It was a woman, with fire red hair and dirty coveralls. She looked tall, as tall as Rosalie but not near as thin. She would be a difficulty for any of us.

"Now what?" she asked the man.

"Let's get some shut eye. They aren't going anywhere."

"Man, those bitches can scream," the woman exclaimed.

"Just wait until Charlie sees his daughter cut into pieces, you'll really hear screaming then." They laughed quietly and headed back into the trees.

I lay there frozen in guilt and anguish. This was about me. They were here to murder people because of me. I didn't recognize either one of them and wondered if my dad had arrested them before. They were just some low life criminals looking for revenge on a cop, and it cost Mrs. Klein her life.

I crawled back into the window and down the stairs. My legs felt numb, from either the hard roof or the awful realization I was to blame. I sat in a chair and did the one thing I promised myself I wouldn't do, I began to cry.

"What, Bella, what did you see?" Rose asked as she knelt in front of me.

"There are at least three."

Angela began to cry and turned away to avoid my wrath, but I just cried along with her. I finally took a steadying breath and looked at each of their faces. Maybe I could make a deal. Maybe they would take me and let my friends go. I doubted it, but I had to try.

"This is about Charlie," I told them. "They want revenge on my dad."

Rose knew me well enough to know exactly what I was thinking.

"Stop it right now, Bella," Rose demanded. "If they only wanted you they could have done it a lot easier than all this. They want to make this big and just you wouldn't be big enough."

"If I can save even one of you, I will," I said as more tears fell.

"So would I, so would Alice, so would….." she looked at Angela and shrugged. "Well, at least Alice and I would."

We all laughed and I was thankful for Rosalie's biting humor to bring us back together. Many people thought of Rose as spoiled or a bitch, but I knew her loving, gracious side. Girls were jealous of her beauty and Rosalie refused to dress down to appease others. She was who she was, and you could take it or leave it.

"I have a plan," Alice offered.

We all turned to look at her and she took a step forward. "Okay," she began. "I am really small and really fast. What if we make a diversion and I sneak out and go for help?"

"They have someone down the road," I informed them, "And maybe at the turn off, too."

Angela gasped and pulled her map over to her lap. "There is a road above us that leads to a turn off further down the state road. They wouldn't expect us to head further into the forest to escape. They would think we would naturally head to the road that led us here."

It made sense and I began trying to think the whole scenario through. "You can't go alone, Alice. We are not about to turn into a Hollywood movie and split up to be killed off one at a time," I said completely serious.

"Okay, who's the best climber?" she asked. "The terrain will be steep and the forest is thick up here."

All eyes turned to me. I wasn't proficient by any means, Edward and I just spent a lot of time hiking. We had to do something to expend the pent up energy our lack of sexual life left us with. It was on our many hikes he told me his deepest secrets and his biggest fears. He felt the forest was a safe place where the Denali's couldn't find out what he was telling me. His worries left him extremely paranoid.

"Okay, let's take shifts getting some sleep and see if it still sounds like a good plan tomorrow," I offered.

"What about them?" Jessica asked in horror.

"I think they are done for the night, at least they talked about getting rest, but just in case we need to keep watch." I worried they knew I was on the roof the entire time and put on the conversation to trick us.

We huddled tightly together and tried to get at least a little sleep. I couldn't get the sight of Mrs. Klein out of my head and I was racking my brain trying to come up with a plan to save us all.

I had been so adamant that I be treated like an adult, since I was eighteen and out of high school, but the only thought running through my head was how much I wanted my father. I would happily accept a curfew and restrictions if he could only rush in here to save us, but I knew he wasn't coming, so I forced myself to stop wishing.

I finally fell asleep and dreamed of Edward. He was here with me, lying in my arms telling me softly how much he loved me. He looked so real, I could see his beautiful green eyes, and the funny faces he would make when we were so close our eyes would cross.

I reached up to run my hands up and down his chest and this time he didn't tense up, or make an excuse to leave. He let me pull him close to me and just hold him for as long as I wanted. I felt safe, and whole, and this night was perfect.

I wanted to see how far he was willing to go so I reached out for his buttons and began slowly working my way down his shirt. My dream beau turned to kiss me lightly, before whispering in my ear…..Finders Keepers!


	2. Chapter 4 to 6

**Chapter 4**

I bolted upright in a cold sweat, gasping for air. Alice was lying on my legs and jumped in fright. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just had a bad dream." I shook my head a couple of times to rid my brain of the thought Edward could be involved in our situation. He was the kindest, gentlest person in the entire town.

"Bella," Alice whispered as she moved closer. "We really need to get out of here. I'm afraid they are waiting it out until the guys come. I think they know our plans and they know exactly when the guys show up."

The thought of Emmett's huge muscles gave me a little relief, but what good would it do if they had weapons. I nodded to Alice in agreement.

"I can't stand the thought of Jasper being hurt," she said sadly. "And frankly, I'm a little surprised he hasn't shown up here already to see why I haven't called."

I looked into her frightened eyes and knew she was thinking the same thing I was. Jasper may have already come and was just another innocent victim caught in this sick game. He would never let Alice go this long without checking in. He would drive up here and lecture her for making him worry.

"If we split up, it leaves the others more vulnerable. We know they have at least three people and it would take all six of us to fight them off." I didn't tell them one was a woman.

"But it also gives us our only chance for rescue," Alice pointed out. "What if we have the other girls barricade themselves in the two bathrooms? You know, make it a real fortress. They would only have to make it through one night….if we make it."

I nodded, thinking it was worth a shot. We couldn't sit here, waiting for them to either pick us off, or force us to watch our boyfriends being killed.

Rosalie opened her eyes and looked at us. "I can handle it; I'll keep Angela with me. What about Lauren and Jessica together, do you think they can be a team?"

I wasn't sure if that would work or not. Jessica was already falling apart and I didn't know how strong Lauren could be if she was left alone. Alice and I were two of the strongest emotionally, and we would be leaving together, making Rose deal with the terror going on here, alone.

I was trying to think the entire plan through looking at every angle, but my thoughts kept returning to Edward. When Alice saw my eyes tear up she rubbed my leg. I couldn't stop my feelings from spilling out.

"This was supposed to be the time….I mean we were ready….um, we were going to try to move forward." I couldn't even form the words properly.

"Edward loves you," Alice said softly.

"I know," I smiled and wiped my tears. "He has been through so much. Why can't it be Tanya here?"

"Because, when we get out of this every newspaper in the state will be printing pictures of you and Edward running into each other's arms to spite the bitch," Rose laughed. "And if she was here, I would be joining those bastards in the woods and cut her up myself."

I looked at them both and figured if we were going to die together they could at least know Edward was not the person the town thought he was. When psychos were waiting outside it made the Denali family seem not so scary.

"There was never a baby," I whispered.

"What?" Alice asked, leaning in to hear me better.

"Tanya was never pregnant," I explained. "She faked the whole thing so Edward would lose his scholarship and have to stay in Washington."

"So, did they really marry?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, for two days; Carlisle got it annulled after he saw her health records. And I never went on a single date with Edward until it was well over. Tanya's whole story about me breaking them up is just another lie."

"Jesus Bella, how can you stand to look at her?" Alice said shaking her head.

"I can't, but I have to keep control for Edward, causing more drama for the town to gossip about doesn't help him. Plus, it just makes Tanya want revenge, you would not believe everything she does to harass him, he has really been damaged by her."

"Bella, you so need to kick her ass, and if you can't bring yourself to do it, let me," Rose offered.

"Well, if we survive this I will let you," I laughed.

"Promise?"

"Yes, promise."

"Listen," Alice began. "Maybe there is some clue in what they keep saying to us. Finders Keeper, what does that mean?"

"If you find something you can keep it, even if it belongs to someone else," I offered.

"So, are we the something?"

"Let's suppose we are; then who are the weepers, our guys, our parents? They specifically mentioned Charlie. If he arrested them or something, they would want him to be the weeper, right?"

"I don't know, Bella, it seems like a lot of trouble to get back at a small town cop. It has to be bigger than that," Rose mused.

"Okay, let's look at what we have; your dad is a banker, well known in this town. Angela's dad is the pastor, again, well known for a small town. Lauren's is the school principle, well known. Alice's dad imports textiles," I frowned at that connection, "Most of the logging people around here don't even know what that is."

"Yeah, but Jasper's dad is the mayor," Alice threw in, "And I am at their house almost more than my own."

Rose waved her hand to dismiss the conversation. "In a small town everyone is well known. You can't say we are a target because we have high powered parents. They are average, but prominent because Forks is so freaking small." 

I saw her point. In Seattle nobody would even notice our parents, but in Forks, they were the leaders in the community.

"I think," Rose cut in, "Tanya may be involved in this. Her family is practically the mafia. If she is pissed at you, and wants Edward, I can totally see her freaky brothers calling in a few favors."

"I thought about that, but she has never threatened me, only Edward. I can see her kidnapping Edward and tying him to her bed in a deserted cabin somewhere, but not killing someone. Whoever is doing this murdered Mrs. Klein."

We all turned to look at the front door, knowing full well what was on the other side of the thick piece of wood.

"When we break it all down it comes to this…we have no idea who they are and what they want, and it really doesn't even matter… we just need to get out of here," Alice observed.

"Okay, let's talk this through. We barricade Lauren and Jess in the bathroom at the end of the hallway and we give them the board with the nail sticking out. We can break some glass from the pictures and wrap tape and material around the ends to use as knives. Rose, you and Ang will be locked in the main bathroom, with the hammer and screwdriver."

"What are we going to use as the diversion?"

"It has to be big," I said as I thought. "Are there any flares in the road kit?"

Alice grabbed the kit to find a single road flare.

"I know," I said excitedly. "Where is that ammo box?"

Rose jumped up and grabbed it from under a chair. I opened the lid and pulled out a small grey pouch with a huge smile on my face. "We're going to make a bomb!"

"How?" they both asked in unison.

"I have a tennis ball in my jeep. My dad used to tell me about a guy who would fill a tennis ball with gun powder and set it off on the fourth of July. He said it sounds just like a bomb."

I was feeling hope return and began making plans. Alice and I would dress in black and use the briquettes we found to smear on our faces and hands. I would even rub it all over the bat we would take with us.

We were going to head into the forest at the closest point it met up with the house and then head north. We would have to cross the fast moving stream, but once we were on the other side it was a straight shot to the other road.

We spent the day getting supplies ready. We stocked food and candles in the bathrooms and planned to light one to give them access to a flame if they lost power. We added blankets and pillows in the tubs to make it somewhat comfortable for them.

When it came time to get the tennis ball I was terrified. I knew I would have to walk past Mrs. Klein's body, but it was the only way.

I held tightly to my bat and Rose stood over me with the hammer ready. We slowly opened the door and peeked outside. We tiptoed as quietly as possible to the jeep. I noticed what a beautiful sunny day it was. Under any other circumstances we would love this day.

As I got to the jeep I saw something over the steering wheel. It looked like a simple yellow t-shirt. I looked at Rose and she only shrugged. I opened the back door and climbed onto the seat to look into the cargo area. I had to almost climb into the space to reach the ball, but I got it. When I turned to get out my eye was drawn to the shirt again, something was written on it and it looked like it was written in blood.

I pulled on the shirt to straighten the cotton so I could read it. My hands went instantly numb. I took several shallow breaths to stop myself from screaming. Rose moved closer and I shook my head at her before grabbing the shirt off the steering wheel and running back into the house.

Once the door was locked and the chair was firmly in place under the doorknob I held up the shirt for Rose to see. Written in blood it said, 'Jasper said Goodbye.'

Rose gasped before she threw her hand over her mouth as tears instantly fell from her eyes.

Alice had walked up behind her, obscured by Rosalie's tall body; she looked at the shirt and looked at me. Her face was unreadable and she had absolutely no reaction.

"Alice, are you okay?"

She only nodded and reached out for the shirt. She looked at the label and mumbled, "It's his." She walked over to where a blanket was tossed onto the floor and crawled into a tight ball, holding the bloody shirt to her face to catch the tears.

Angela walked over and wrapped her arms around Alice and whispered in her ear as they rocked and cried together.

"I'm still going," I said to Rose. "You keep Alice with you."

"No," Alice said adamantly. "All we know is this is Jasper's shirt and he was bleeding. That's all we know. If he is hurt I have to help him. I'm going with you."

I tried to look like I totally believed what she was saying. I had to give her hope, I owed her that much.

As the light began to fade into the trees we sat huddled together holding hands. We were sleepy and emotionally drained. I wasn't sure we could make it much longer if we didn't get help soon.

"I guess I should admit I love Eric," Lauren said. 

"I knew it," Angela screamed. "I knew it wasn't just a casual thing. You lied to me."

"I lied to myself," Lauren said as tears formed. "I want a chance to tell him."

"I should have listened to Jasper." We all turned to Alice. "He begged me not to come."

"Alice, he begs you every time you see him. I'm surprised he didn't take girls gym with you, so he could stay by your side the entire day. 

"There's a reason," she said quietly.

"What?" I asked, not quite sure what she said.

"There is a reason Jasper has a hard time with separation," she said a little louder. "Please don't tell anyone, Jasper will be so mad at me if he finds out I told."

Rose, Lauren and I looked at each other thinking the same thing, that Jasper most likely wasn't alive to find out Alice said anything, and that we would most likely die, too.

"Jasper isn't really a Hale. He was adopted after spending years in a really abusive foster home. His mom died when he was three leaving him stuck in the Texas foster system and he was rescued at the age of nine."

I felt sick to my stomach. All the rude comments I had made about his clingy nature and his over possessiveness towards Alice, now it all made sense. "Does Edward or Emmett know?" I asked.

She shook her head back and forth. "He just wants to be one of the guys. He doesn't want people feeling sorry for him."

Rose put her arm around Alice and assured her we wouldn't tell a soul.

"How are things going with Emmett?" I asked Rosalie. She always seemed so tough and so put together, but I was sure there was a side of her falling apart just like the rest of us.

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Emmett is Emmett, he never gets upset, he never complains, he never has a bad day, he just enjoys the moment." I saw her begin to blink back tears. "I really need to appreciate him more."

"I think you pretty much have his undying devotion," I laughed.

"Emmett told Mike he's going to marry you some day," Jessica revealed. "Mike told him you would dump his monster ass before he could ever propose."

Rose laughed lightly and wiped away a tear as she said, "I'll decide when I see the diamond."

Angela sat up straight and asked, "Can we say a prayer? I'll say it, and I know some of you don't believe," she looked at Lauren. "But it would really make me feel better."

Alice reached out to take Angela's hand. "Pray for Jasper," she begged.

We huddled in closer locked hand in hand and just when Angela went to open her mouth the awful screaming of the rabbits began. We all jumped and I grabbed the tennis ball filled with gun powder.

"Here we go," I said as I crawled toward the washroom.

Jessica and Lauren ran to the bathroom at the end of the hallway as Rose took their candle in the kitchen to be lit. Once inside they shut the door, pounding loudly as they nailed the door shut.

I placed the wick we dug out of the flare in the tennis ball and set it carefully in the dryer.

Rose had Angela by the hand dragging her into the main bathroom next to the front door.

I stopped as our eyes met. Rose had been my friend since the day I moved to Forks after my mother died, the thought I might never see her again was almost too much to bare.

"You do this, Bella," she instructed sensing my hesitation. "You go get help and come save us. _DO NOT _give up!"

"I love you, Rose," I yelled as the door began to shut.

Alice had on the back pack we had loaded with the flashlight, map, food and water. She was holding one of the homemade knives we had fashioned and was ready to go. I grabbed my bat and lit a candle, carrying it to the mud room. I put the flame to the fuse, then shut the dryer door and ran. I made it to where Alice was squatting by the back door when the explosion hit.

It rocked the house breaking glass and causing the lights to flicker. My ears were ringing and couldn't hear anything. I opened the door as little as possible and we crept out onto the deck. I was searching the woods desperately looking for any shadow that could be someone lurking.

Keeping low and hugging the wall we made our way to the edge of the house closest to the tree line. I peeked around the side of the house and could see flashes of light, like someone walking with a flashlight. I grabbed Alice's hand and we ran for the cover of the forest.

I dove behind a tree and planted my back against the bark as Alice did the same. My knees were shaking and I slid down onto my heels to steady my breathing. My ears were still muffled from the explosion, so I was imaging the sounds of footsteps all around me.

I looked over to see Alice peeking around the trunk of the tree she was behind, she looked over at me and gave me a thumbs up. I motioned for her to give me a second as I wiped my sweating hands on my pants and tried to dry my grip on the bat.

Something caught my eye. I don't know if some leaves had blown naturally aside or if the moonlight was reflecting off the surface, but a tiny, obscure flash of metal drew my eyes to the ground about a foot from where I was crouched.

My heart sank, I knew what I was looking at….a trap, a large bear trap covered in pine needles and leaves. We would no longer be able to just run for the stream, we were going to have to slowly, painstakingly, maneuver our way into the forest.

**Chapter 5**

**Rose**

It felt like the roof was going to come down onto our heads when the explosion hit. I panicked at bit when the lights flickered, but relaxed when they remained on. I looked over to see Angela staring wide eyed at me as we sat on opposite ends of the bathtub.

"Bella's in charge of all fireworks from now on," I winked at her. She smiled halfheartedly and took at deep breath.

I began looking around to make a mental list of things in the bathroom, I noted where the towel rack was located, and that the curtain rod around the shower was made of metal and not plastic.

I was nervously tapping my nails on the rim of the tub when we heard footsteps on the roof. Angela closed her eyes tightly and buried her face in her knees. I kept my eyes trained on the door and picked up the hammer to keep it at the ready.

A loud bang sounded on the front door, and the incessant singing began again. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes. They were not coming in, they were just playing with us. It was a good sign that they didn't believe anyone left the house. I had to keep the faith that Alice and Bella would make it.

"Hey," I called out to Angela. She looked up with startled eyes. "You still want to say that prayer?"

She nodded and reached out for my hands. "I haven't been to church in a long time," I admitted so my hypocrisy could be out in the open. "And, Emmett and I don't participate in Christian activities."

She knew Emmett and I were sexually active and I wasn't going to pretend to be sorry about it. I loved him and he treated me better than any guy I had ever dated. He wasn't the smartest guy, but he had a huge heart, and that meant a lot to me.

"It doesn't mean God stops loving you," she smiled.

I watched in fascination as she closed her eyes and began to pray. I was touched when she asked God to help me make the right decisions when I needed to make them. I wasn't sure if she meant in our situation, or life in general.

She prayed for everyone except herself and I realized how lucky Ben was to get a wife like Angela. Most people would envy Emmett because of my looks, not for any redeeming personal qualities. I vowed right then if we made it out alive, I would try to be better, for Emmett.

The night was dragging on and the sudden interruptions of pounding or screaming were making my nerves raw. I was hoping Alice and Bella were making their way to the main highway and it would be over soon.

"Rosalie," Angela said. "Do you think we will survive?" 

I looked into her angelic face and couldn't lie to her. "I don't know, sweetie, but we will never give up. We will fight with our very last breath."

"How do you stay so brave?"

I chuckled. "I guess it's guilt, I mean, look at all the advantages I have; I don't want to be remembered as the spoiled princess who fell apart when it got tough. Just like you're not going to be the preacher's kid who ran out of faith," I said as I nudged her.

She sat a little taller and took a deep breath. "I think you have an advantage, because you see the world from a higher viewpoint."

I laughed and assured her the world looked the same at 5'10" as it did at 5'4".

We went back to our quite waiting for awhile. Both our heads snapped towards the door when we heard the knob turn. We froze and stared unbelieving at the door. We were not even breathing for fear the door would fly open. I felt my hand grip the hammer handle tightly.

I finally stood in the tub and quietly tiptoed to the door and placed my ear against it. I could hear sounds further down the hallway and was mentally begging Jess and Lauren to hang tough.

The sound of footsteps running down the hallway ended in a loud bang against a door and the horrible screaming from the girls in the other bathroom.

**Bella**

I took a tentative step toward another tree and motioned for Alice to remain where she was. I ran my toe along the ground in front of me looking for any gleam in the dirt. I finally waved her over.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"There are traps set; we have to be very careful."

We began making our way from tree to tree towards the sound of rushing water. The further we got from the house the better I felt about moving faster. We began picking up our pace and I started to have hope.

We reached the stream, looking for an easy path to cross. A cropping of fallen trees looked promising but none of the trunks were large enough to walk on. I was afraid if we tried to cross we would get tangled in the limbs.

I was searching though the branches for a steady bough when Alice covered her mouth and tried to stifle a scream. I followed her eyes to see a body just barely under the water snarled among the twigs. My mind screamed only one thing to me, "Please, don't let it be Jasper."

I stepped into the frigid water to get a better look and saw the swollen, pallor face of an older man. I lunged at Alice, who was shaking with fear, and pulled her close to me speaking directly into her ear. "It's not him, it's not him."

I knew I had to get her out of there, so without thinking, I kept my arms around her and pulled us through the ice cold stream. We splashed noisily as we tried to keep our balance over the smooth rocks.

The water hit Alice just above her knees and she began shivering from the cold along with the terror. I knew I had made a mistake by getting her tiny frame so wet, but I had panicked.

As soon as we made it to the other side I handed her one end of the bat as I pulled her with the other. Dirt and pine needles were sticking to my wet shoes making my feet heavier, and heavier, but I wouldn't let up on the pace we were setting. Soon her labored breathing from exertion stopped the shivering of her arms.

It had been two hours since we left the house and we were getting closer and closer to the road. I felt a sense of dread. It would be so much easier to run along the grated path of the road but it would leave us exposed. I kept battling with myself, back and forth between the need to get help quickly and the need to stay hidden to make sure we could get help at all.

When we finally spotted the wide flat path with the moon shining brightly upon it I made up my mind. We would have to move as quickly as we could, staying just inside the tree line. We fought our way through the brush never stopping for food or water until Alice fell.

I quickly helped her up and noticed how heavy she was breathing. "Let's take a break," I suggested.

"No, I'm good," she insisted.

I nodded but stayed still. We stood trying to calm our breathing down when we both heard something at the same time. We immediately dropped to our knees and lowered our heads. The sound was soft moaning and it was coming from an area right in front of us.

I crawled at a snail's pace forward trying to see in the dark long grass. I stretched my body as far as I could when a heartbreaking scream echoed throughout the forest coming from the direction of the cabin.

**Rose**

Jessica and Lauren were screaming and trying desperately to keep the door closed as it splintered from the hinges on impact. I could hear the commotion at the end of the hallway as they screamed and begged for help.

I quickly turned my hammer and used the claw end to pull the long nail from the door. I raised my hand in the air ready to strike as I pulled the door open. Nobody was near the door, so I looked down the hallway to see a large black man with dreadlocks pushing in his way into the bathroom.

Without thinking I grabbed the curtain rod from the shower and let the rings fall to the ground. One of the rubber stoppers had stayed attached to the wall, leaving a round sharp edge exposed on the metal.

I stepped into the hallway just in time to see the broken door pushed to the floor and the man's fist making contact with Jessica's face. She crumpled like a doll to the ground. I pulled the rod to my side like a spear and ran with all my might toward the man stepping into the bathroom.

He spun around to see me right before I made contact, driving the rod through his stomach and out his back. He reached for me, catching my arm, so I rammed the palm of my hand as hard as I could into the end of his nose. I felt the bones crunch and move with my hand upwards. His knees buckled and he fell forward, held upright by the rod in his body. I kicked him sideways and watched as he fell in slow motion.

My mind finally caught up with my body and I screamed as if my life depended on it. I screamed as the feeling of pushing the rod into his body reverberated in my head. I screamed as the thought of killing another human being pulsed through my body.

I finally turned to put my face against the wall and moved away from his body. I needed the wall to keep me upright, to steady me as my mind spun in confusion. I needed to feel something real and solid as everything around me felt like a nightmare. 

"Rose, Rose," someone was yelling. I could hear them, but I couldn't respond to my own name. I wanted Emmett, I wanted to be far from this place, and I wanted what I had just done to be a dream.

**Bella**

The screaming sent a shiver down my spine. We needed help and we needed it fast. I was overcome by guilt for leaving the house. I wasn't going to be fast enough. They were being slaughtered and all I could do was stand in the distance and listen.

A sliding sound brought my attention back to the darkness in front of me. Somebody was there, in the shadows. I heard a moan again and wondered if somebody was wounded or if it was a trick to get Alice and me to come closer.

I raised my bat into the air and ran towards the moaning sound. I could barely make out a huddled form in the grass and moved in to hit it as hard as I could.

As my arms came down, I was able to make a split second decision, and moved the bat just enough to miss my intended target. The sound of the bat making contact with the ground caused his eyes to shoot open. Alice cried out and fell onto the bloodied, broken, body of Jasper.

I collapsed into the dirt. My body was shaking so badly and I couldn't think clearly. I wanted Edward; I wanted my father to come running in with his guns blazing to save us from the nightmare we were trapped in.

Alice was kissing Jasper and close to hysteria when I pulled out of my fog and realized he was hurt. I crawled to his side and began looking for injuries. I almost vomited when I saw the mangled flesh on his leg. He had stepped in a trap. I grabbed the belt he was using as a tourniquet and loosened it for a few moments letting blood reach his foot before tightening it again.

He was wincing in pain, but his main focus was Alice. 

"Jasper," I whispered in hope. "Where's your car?"

"They pushed it over the cliff," he said trying to sound angry but only his pain was coming though.

"You saw them?"

"Yeah, and from what I could hear there are only three. Where's Rosalie?"

"They're at the house, Alice and I snuck out for help."

He tightened his hold on Alice. "Did the house blow up? I heard an explosion."

"No, that was our diversion," I said proudly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see why I couldn't get through to Alice." We all knew he would come, Jasper was so predictable.

"Does Edward know you came?" I instantly felt confident that Edward would call my dad if he never heard back from Jasper.

"No, I didn't want to hear about what a pussy I was being. That's why I used this road and stayed away from the house. I just wanted to see if Alice was okay. I wasn't going to intrude on your girl time."

His explanation was just so Jasper, stalking Alice, but thinking it was okay because he kept his distance. I wasn't sure if the trap saved him or doomed us all.

He continued on with his story, "I had binoculars, and when I saw the body by the door and the hood up on the jeep, I knew something was wrong. I was headed back to my car and saw someone messing with it. I stayed hidden and watched as they pushed it over the ledge."

"How did you get hurt?" I asked, already knowing it was bear trap.

"I was heading back to the cabin and stepped in a trap. It didn't shut all the way so I was able to get it off, but had to crawl my way back here."

I suddenly had so much respect for Jasper. I had used most of my energy getting to this point and he had crawled the whole way not knowing if Alice was alive or dead.

Rustling leaves shocked us all into silence. We laid flat to the ground and listened as footsteps headed right for us. We could hear them talking, and when they got closer I could see it was the man and woman and they sounded very agitated.

"I tried to flash him several times and he never responded," the man said.

"Are you sure you used the right code?"

"Three fucking flashes, it isn't rocket science."

"Do you think something happened to him?"

"If he doesn't come back by midnight I'm assuming he's dead, and we're burning the place to the ground."

They passed within ten feet of where Jasper, Alice and I were lying as we held our breath in fear.

**Chapter 6**

All of our plans just changed. We were running out of time and couldn't chance making it to the main road and back in time to warn the others. I couldn't let them be burned to death and had to head back to the house.

"We don't have much time." I said in panic. "I have to go back and get them."

"Jasper can't move," Alice protested.

"You stay with him." I picked up my bat and decided to go the way the man and woman just came from. Obviously they weren't worried about running into traps.

"Alice," I instructed. "If I don't come back, wait until the man and woman head back to the house and then run as fast as you can down this road to the highway. Don't come back for us; get Jasper help before he loses the leg."

"Be careful, Bella, they seem crazy," he said to me.

"Do you know them? They wrote your name on a t shirt."

"No, but they took shit from my car. They have my wallet," he explained and then hissed as Alice released the tourniquet for a moment.

"Did you have anything they could use as a weapon?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "A tire iron, but I never saw them open the trunk."

"Okay, stay hidden," I said before taking a deep breath and heading off into the dark.

I had hope that if the other man was not responding to his partners the girls took him out or have him captured. I was imagining plans where we could trade him for our freedom. I stumbled my way in the dark, moving a lot faster going downhill. When I finally came to the road I took off in an all out run.

The cabin looked exactly like I left it, the lights were still on and the door was still shut. As I got closer I could see the window on the roof was open. The pane was broken, but it was still raised.

I ran to the back deck and found the door opened just slightly. I pushed it and waited. Nothing happened. I stuck my head in the door and listened, but didn't hear anything. I moved into the room and called out softly, "Rose, Jess, Lauren, Ang."

I didn't get any response so I headed towards the hallway and saw the main bathroom door closed. As soon as I turned my head I screamed at the sight of a man impaled with some sort of stick.

"Help us," voices yelled from behind the door.

"Rose, it's me, Bella," I called out to them.

A bunch of commotions was coming from behind the door and it finally opened to reveal Lauren and Angela's swollen, wet faces. I dove into their arms and thanked God they were alive.

My joy ended when I saw Jessica lying on a pillow with a blood covered face and Rose sitting in the tub looking totally lifeless.

"What happened," I yelled as I ran to them.

Jessica turned her head, but one eye was swollen completely shut. Rosalie didn't move. I reached out to touch her cheek with my palm, but she didn't respond in any way.

"Rose," I called to her as I shook her lightly. "Rose, you look at me right now."

She continued to stare forward without blinking and I was so terrified she was damaged forever. Rosalie was always strong and confident, she bolstered me whenever I needed a bit more courage, but the girl I was looking at was only a shell.

"What's wrong with her?" I cried.

"She killed the man in the hall. I think she went into shock," Lauren answered.

"We have to get out of here. We found Jasper." Jessica sat up. "He's hurt. We heard the other two talking and they know something happened to their buddy. They're going to burn the house down."

"We can't carry Rosalie, she's too big," Angela gasped.

"We can't stay here, help me," I said as I pulled Rose forward. She didn't fight us and easily stood as we pulled her to her feet.

I wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and led her from the bathroom making sure to angle her away from the sight down the hallway.

"Grab my bat," I yelled to Lauren. She grabbed the bat and the hammer and followed us out onto the porch.

Angela began to cry again when she saw Mrs. Klein's covered body again and I had to shush her.

We were moving slowly and just made it to the shadows of the trees lining the dirt road when we heard the other two coming. I pulled Rosalie behind a tree and we all stood perfectly still. They passed unconcerned, until they saw the open front door.

The man bent down as the woman sprinted into the trees on the opposite side of the road from us. I felt like all was lost and slowly lifted my hand for my bat. When Lauren reached out to hand it to me I noticed light reflect off the lacquered finish.

I spun around to see car lights winding down the road towards the house. I looked over at the man to see he was looking at the car, too. His eyes turned to scan the forest and locked onto mine. We stared for a second, sizing each other up, until I shot from the trees onto the road; running with all my might towards the car.

I could hear him behind me, matching me step for step. I considered stopping to swing my bat at him, but adrenaline kept me moving forward. I could hear his pounding stride getting closer, and closer, but my eyes were focused on the car heading my way.

When the headlights came around the final bend, the driver had me illuminated right in his sight. The bright beams kicked on to elucidate the forest eerily around me. I continued to run straight for the car…so did my pursuer. 

When the car skidded to a stop, someone jumped out and ran towards me. I suddenly realized I could be running into a trap. If there were more than three I just ran right to them. I began frantically swinging the bat at nothing but bright light.

I heard someone run past me, so I turned to see a huge body running after the man with a ponytail. I fell to my knees as I tried to understand what I was watching. I felt someone pull the bat from my hand and drag me into a tight hug.

I recognized the cologne and clung to Edward as I cried in relief. I couldn't speak coherently and Edward kept trying to pull away to check me for injuries, but I wouldn't release my strangle hold on him.

When I heard footsteps coming towards me I scrambled, pulling Edward with me, trying to back away. "I caught the sucker," Emmett said as he held the man's hands behind his back.

I looked up to see the object of all my hatred standing in front of me, and I lunged at him, growling like a wild animal. Edward held me back trying his hardest to understand what was going on. I was dirty, and sweaty, and so exhausted it was hard to think straight.

"They killed Mrs. Klein," I screamed. "And Jasper's hurt."

"I knew he came up here," Emmett said.

I suddenly remembered the woman and began pulling Edward to the car. "There's a woman with him, they're killers."

The sound of footsteps behind Emmett caught my attention; I looked up to see Angela and Lauren leading Jessica and Rosalie toward us. Emmett turned slowly and his head leaned to the side as he worked out in his mind that something had happened to his Rosalie.

When realization hit him, he spun the ponytailed man around and punched him hard right in the face, knocking him unconscious.

He let the man fall to the ground and ran to pick Rosalie up in his arms. "Did he touch her?" Emmett was yelling. "Did he fucking touch her?"

Edward was standing stunned, trying to process what was going on around him. I pulled his face to mine and spoke slowly. "We have to get help, we need the police, now!"

He jumped into action and led me to the car as we all climbed in on top of each other. "What about him?" I said pointing to the man passed out in the road. "Alice and Jasper are still out there and he has a woman helping him."

"Open the trunk, Edward," Emmett instructed. He got out of the car and pulled the man by the hair and shirt to the car, easily lifting him into the trunk and closing it.

I was sandwiched in between Edward and Emmett. I stroked Rosalie's hair as she lay curled against Emmett's chest. The road seemed so long even though Edward was speeding and sliding around the turns. When we got to the highway Lauren screamed that she had cell coverage.

I grabbed her phone and dialed my dad's private number.

"Chief Swan, Forks PD," he answered and his voice, which I wasn't sure I would ever hear again, pushed me over the edge. My dad, my protector, my everything was just on the other end of the line.

I couldn't talk and sobbed loudly until Edward took the phone from my hand. "Chief Swan, this is Edward, we need your help. Bella's fine, but they've been attacked at the cabin. We need an ambulance and more police."

I heard Edward call out a mile marker and we pulled over as he continued talking to my father. When he hung up the phone, he handed it back to Lauren and pulled me close.

"Bella was amazing," Angela said from the back. "She saved us."

I shook my head in disagreement. I wasn't fast enough to save Rosalie from the trauma she endured, and Alice was still out there with a seriously hurt Jasper.

Emmett began rocking Rosalie back and forth and looked at me questioning. I felt my tears fall as his concern racked me with guilt for leaving her.

"Where's Jasper and Alice," Edward asked still confused.

"Jasper got caught in a bear trap. His leg is messed up and Alice is with him. They are still in danger."

I saw Edward and Emmett look at each other wondering if they should leave us to go after him. I grabbed onto Edward's shirt, unwilling to let him leave me. 

A set of flashing red lights was headed towards us so we all got out of the car. Within minutes the entire area was flashing as we were separated and questioned by various officers. When an ambulance drove by with its siren blasting an officer assured me it contained Jasper and Alice.

It was a good hour before my father came to see me, not as an officer, but as my panicked dad. He pulled me against his large police jacket and buried me in his massive chest. I sobbed and let my legs give way as he held me up. He led me to his cruiser and we passed a car containing him….the man with the ponytail who did this to us.

I broke free from my father's grasp and ran up to the car window pounding on it in rage. "Finders Keepers you son-of-a-bitch. You're done, we beat you," I screamed into his sickening face through the glass.

His eyes flashed in anger and he spit at the window I was pounding on. My dad pulled me away as he turned to take one last look at the cars occupant. I could feel how much control it was taking for him to remain calm and walk away.

"Bella," the man yelled out in a muffled voice from inside the car. I stopped and turned to look at him. He gave me a deranged smile and yelled, "It's not over."

I wanted nothing more than to kill him where he sat. If any officer there would have let me use his gun, I would have walked up to where he sat handcuffed in the car, and blown his brains all over the back window.

Instead I stood glaring at him as Emmett walked up to join me. "Losers Weepers," I mouthed hatefully.

We stared at each other as the patrol car drove him away.

"How's Rose?" I turned and asked Emmett.

"They took her to the hospital, nobody will tell me what happened," he said in frustration.

I could tell how irritated he was by the way he sighed loudly and kept his hands pulled into tight fists. I wished I had something to tell him, but I only knew my version of events, and was having a hard enough time dealing with the guilt I had over leaving Rose to handle everything at the house.

"All I know is she saved the others, but I wasn't with them," I told him.

Edward walked up, talking on his phone to Alice, and put his arm protectively around me. Charlie shook his head, still not a big Edward fan even during duress, and went to check on the progress with finding the woman.

"Is he okay?" I asked Edward, meaning Jasper.

"He's just arrived at the hospital. I think Alice was trying to be brave for Jasper. Can you leave now? Edward asked.

"Yeah, let's go by the hospital and check on Rose and Jasper."

We pulled into the hospital parking lot and most of the senior class was there. I was draped around Edward, still in my dirty clothes, when I saw Tanya look me up and down and laugh.

I had nothing left inside of me to keep my composure, all of my control was gone, and I was no longer responsible for my actions. The thought of Tanya tormenting Edward for years, when I only went through two days of hell, pushed me over the edge.

I lost it!


	3. Chapter 7 to 9

**Chapter 7**

Tanya stood in front of a group of girls feeling safe in a crowd. My rage was so evident all of her friends backed up as I pulled away from Edward's arms and walked right up to Tanya.

"If you had anything to do with this, I will kill you myself," I said loudly.

She laughed nervously and crossed her arms, "Drama much?"

My hand shot out and grabbed her around the neck; pushing her against a brick pillar. She scratched frantically trying to get my iron clad hold to lessen. I wasn't thinking of the terror at the cabin, my only concern at that moment was for Edward.

"You so much as look at Edward again and you'll have to deal with me. Leave us alone and get on with your pathetic life. Do we understand each other?"

She nodded quickly so I dropped my hand. She moved to stand with her friends, but I moved right with her.

"I'm telling my father," she said with a shaky voice.

"No need, I'll tell the fat bastard myself." I moved closer and used my body to push her back several inches.

When she finally remained quiet I walked back to Edward, who was trying very hard not to laugh. "What's so funny?" I asked him angrily.

He raised both hands in defeat. "Nothing, I'm never crossing you again."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and lay my head on his chest. I was suddenly exhausted and needed him to be my strength. We walked awkwardly entwined into the hospital. Alice was the first person we saw and I ran to her letting my tears fall.

"How's Jasper?" Edward asked as I hugged Alice.

"He's in surgery. They think they can save his leg, but he will be in rehab for almost a year."

I knew what she was thinking; their plans for a college apartment would have to wait. I couldn't help but think Jasper would be in heaven having Alice acting as his personal nurse, waiting on him hand and foot.

"Have you seen Rose?" I asked.

"No, they won't let anyone in. Poor Emmett, please go tell him what happened," she implored.

"I wish I knew, Angela will have to tell him."

"They think the man in the water was Mr. Klein, I guess he has been missing, too," Alice told us.

I held tighter to Edward. "Son," a voice called. We turned to see Carlisle standing behind us. I fell into his arms and hugged him tightly. He looked at me and Alice covered in dirt and black coal on our faces.

"Why don't you girls come into the doctor's lounge and shower? You can put on hospital scrubs, I'm sure it will make you feel a lot better."

We all followed him down the hallway and I was relieved when Edward remained with us when we entered a small locker room. I didn't want to be apart from him for one moment. He got us towels as we peeled off the clothes that held more awful memories than dirt.

Once we were clean and dressed we went to find Carlisle to see if we could get any information on Rose and Jasper.

"Jasper is still in surgery, but I heard it was going well," he told us. I noticed Alice seemed to relax a bit.

"Rose is making slow, but steady, progress. I talked them into letting Emmett in the room. I think she will feel safer with him close." We all nodded. Emmett's massive body would fill the room.

"Bella, is there anything you need?" Dr. Cullen asked me.

My arms naturally tightened around Edward. "No, I have everything I need right here."

"Well," he said slightly embarrassed. "Take this card in case you need some help down the road."

I reached out and took a card that was a victim's advocacy group. "Victim?" I asked in confusion. "They didn't win, we did."

Carlisle rubbed my arm gently. "Victim is a noun, Bella, not a verb. You did win, but even winning can cause anxiety."

I nodded, as if I understood. I felt so removed from the terror at the cabin. I was back in my safe world with my loving boyfriend and my gun toting father. I was simply hoping all the memories would fade away forever.

"Go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow. We'll keep your friends safe," he assured me.

I looked at Alice and knew she would never leave this place tonight. Jasper would need her the moment he came out of surgery and she would never disappoint him. Edward took my hand and led me away. When we got outside the crowd had lessened and police cars were beginning to show up.

The officers nodded at me politely, but none of them stopped us from leaving. When we pulled out of the parking lot Edward turned toward his house instead of mine. I looked at him, questioning where he was taking me.

"I think your dad will be busy all night, I'm not letting you sleep in an empty house."

I nodded and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "Will you stay with me?"

He smiled, "Sure, love."

"I mean, in the bed with me, so I can feel you there?"

He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it, "Anything you want."

I had been in Edward's room before, but never his bed. He had very careful rules regarding our intimacy and lying on his bed was a big no, no.

I crawled under the comforter and felt Edward spoon in behind me. He pulled me tightly against his chest and held me protectively. I drifted off, convinced I was already dreaming.

I woke up to something tickling my nose and heard Edward chuckle when I rubbed my nose in irritation. "That bacon smell better be coming from this room," I warned him.

"Sit up and you can eat all you want."

I opened my eyes to see him lift a tray full of food off his desk. "You are so perfect, Edward, how did I ever deserve you?"

He rolled his eyes at me and placed the tray over my lap. I dug right in and had to laugh at the thought we were all going to lose a pound or two before the guys showed up to the cabin, not realizing we would all be many pounds lighter from our ordeal.

"Bella, I don't want to push you, but can you tell me what happened?" Edward asked with a soft voice. I gasped when I realized he never asked me any questions. I just assumed someone had filled him in and felt awful making him go through the night in ignorance.

I slowly let the events fall from my mouth as he listened intently, never interrupting me and simply nodding. I could see his jaw tighten and his eyes widen but he stayed perfectly quiet. I left out most of the details, like what was written on the mirror and tripping over Mrs. Klein's body. I stuck to just the major points of the story.

When I finished I could feel my body shaking, as if I was cold, so I pulled the blankets around me. Edward moved my tray and got back into the bed to hold me tightly. The shivers soon left and I snuggled into his neck and kissed him under his ear. He didn't pull away, so I kissed him again, only longer this time.

His arms pulled me closer and my heart sped up in anticipation. I kissed him along his jaw and he lowered his face to let me reach his lips. As our kiss deepened he rolled us over, so he was now above me, kissing me passionately.

Everything melted away as we became lost in each other. Our clothes were coming off one piece at a time until reality slapped us in the face. "Do you have any protection?" I asked him.

He recoiled, as if he was touching something horrendous. "No, Edward, don't do that. I need you to love me. I need you in my arms right now."

He moved to sit on the side of the bed breathing heavily and running his hands through his hair. I noticed how his hands were shaking and his body seemed to fold in on itself. I closed my eyes in pain when my tears joined his.

"I'm not her, I won't hurt you," I offered through my tears.

His cell phone rang at that moment and he picked it up, looking at the caller ID and then handed the phone to me.

"Hi, dad," I said as I sat up.

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

I handed Edward his phone and climbed out of his bed to gather my clothes. He watched me put the scrubs back on and then smiled at me. "You're beautiful," he said softly.

I walked over to hold his face in my hands. "I love you, so much," I said. "And if you need more time, I'll give it to you."

He only nodded and stood to put on his own clothes.

Edward drove me to my house and we walked into my kitchen to find my dad and another officer sitting at the table. Edward and I sat across from them.

"Any news on Rosalie and Jasper?" I asked.

"Um, last I heard Jasper's doing well, wants Alice within two inches of him at all times," Charlie added with a chuckle. I couldn't help but smile.

"Rosalie's dad is bringing in a specialist, but she's talking now."

"Can I see her?" I asked.

"If the doctor says it's okay, you need special permission or something."

I turned to look at Edward. "I'm on it," he said as pulled his phone out and stood to walk out of the room.

"Bells," my dad began. "We need to ask you a few questions, okay."

"Sure," I agreed.

The other officer pulled out a small notebook and was skimming through the notes. "Did Mrs. Klein talk about anyone else interested in renting the cabin?"

"No, she was worried about how young we were, and wanted to make sure we understood we would have to pay for damages. She wanted one of our parent's credit cards, just in case."

"Did she ask specifics about any of you, any personal information that wasn't related to the rental?"

"No. Who was it that Rose, um, the guy in the house?" I wasn't quiet sure how to ask the question.

"We're trying to find out."

"Wait, the creep in the car isn't talking?" I asked in shock.

"James is not saying a word, plus we can't find any priors and he doesn't have a fingerprint match."

"So, the woman is still free?"

"Yes, but we will find her," my father added.

"I thought you would know them. I thought they wanted revenge on you, dad."

"No, I've never dealt with any of them before."

Edward came back into the room and I looked from him to my father. "Can Tanya have anything to do with this?"

"She's a possibility, but we have to look at relationships with everyone involved as well as their families. And, I got a call from Mr. Denali, Bella, he said you assaulted his daughter."

"Not as much as I wanted." I crossed my arms in anger.

"You're eighteen now, he could have you arrested, so cool it, understand?"

I nodded slightly.

Edward cleared his throat to interrupt us, "Um, sorry but I have a game this afternoon and I have to go."

"Sure, son," Charlie said.

"I'll come by," I assured him. "Wait, I don't have a car anymore."

"You can use my truck until we get the jeep back," Charlie offered. I wasn't sure I would want to drive the jeep again, but I agreed for now.

Edward leaned over to kiss me on the head as my father turned away and sighed loudly. "You can see, Rose," he whispered to me and left.

I answered all the questions the officer had and headed upstairs to dress and go see Rose. I had packed my favorite jeans and had to resort to a less favorable pair. I threw on my shirt, with Edward's name and number on the back, and headed to the hospital.

An officer was sitting by Rose's door and after giving him my name and telling him I didn't have ID because it was still evidence at a crime scene, he let me in the room. Emmett stood and gave me a quick hug.

"Don't you have a game?" I asked him.

"I'm not leaving here," he said forcefully.

Rosalie reached out for his hand and smiled lovingly at him. "Go, Em. I'm just going to talk with Bella and sleep. Go, hit one for me," Rose added.

He leaned his huge body over hers and kissed her tenderly, "I'll go long for ya, Babe."

She laughed wiggled her eyebrows at him, "You always do, Babe."

Emmett laughed and winked at me before leaving the room. I sat in the chair he had vacated and took her hand in mine. "I'm so sorry," I said through tears.

"For what?" she asked sounding surprised.

"For leaving and putting you through that alone."

"I wasn't alone. Ang prayed and I had no idea what I had done until it was over. I didn't make that decision. I wasn't alone," she said emphatically.

She looked at me like I was going to call the doctors back in and insist they commit her. I only smiled and nodded. "I don't think any of us were alone, finding Jasper was a miracle, too."

We each sat in private thought, until I squeezed her hand. "We're alive, we did it," I squealed.

"You bet your ass we did," she laughed.

"I have some news that will make you so happy you will be out of here and cheering at Emmett game in a matter of minutes," I teased.

Her eyes widened and she sat up more as she waited for my news. I was so excited to tell her and trying to figure out just the right way to say it when she huffed at me for taking so long.

"What?" she asked.

"I choked Tanya," I said quickly. I was holding my breath in anticipation of her reaction and we both screamed in unison, causing the officer outside the door to rush in.

"Sorry," I said as we both laughed.

"But," I added, "And this is a big but, her dad is threatening to press charges."

"Oh, hell Bella, go to prison, it would be so worth it!"

"I know," I laughed.

When our jubilant mood wore off and darkened she looked at me and leaned closer. "How did you sleep last night?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"With Edward wrapped around me. I haven't tried on my own yet."

"Did they catch them?" she asked even quieter.

"Emmett caught the other man for them." Her eyes got wide in shock, and I realized nobody had filled her in on the details.

"Edward and Emmett were coming to drag Jasper home. He didn't tell them he was coming but once he was missing they knew exactly where he went. He didn't fool them one bit by his little disappearing act. When I saw the headlights I ran to them, being chased by that psycho James." It was the first time I allowed myself to say his name.

"Emmett jumped from the car and chased him down. At that point he didn't know if he was a friend of ours or not. When he saw you, Rose, he freaked," I laughed at the memory. "He knocked the guy out before getting any questions answered."

She wiped the tears falling down her beautiful face, "I'm really lucky to have Emmett."

"Yeah, you are," I agreed.

"I was in a fog," she confessed. "I knew stuff was going on around me but I couldn't focus or respond. It was so weird. Then Emmett came in here and pulled me onto his lap and it was just….him, ya know, nothing else existed but me and him. I heard him ask me to come back to him and I didn't know what he meant. I was right here."

I hated to tell her the rest of the news and I wished someone was around to advise if it was dangerous to her recovery or not. "Um, the other one, the woman…" I began.

"One was a woman?" she asked in shock.

"Yeah, but she was pretty fierce. She's still out there, um, they haven't found her yet."

Rose narrowed her eyes and said with a threatening voice, "She better pray they find her before I do."

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The old Rose was present and accounted for and I knew at that moment she would be fine.

"Hopefully we find her with Tanya and we can end all of our troubles in one fell swoop," I laughed.

**Chapter 8**

I made my way to the top of the bleachers as everyone stared at me. I kept my head down and tried to avoid their prying eyes. Once I sat down I looked for Edward, he was at his short stop position throwing a ball back at forth with the third baseman, Emmett.

He looked so handsome in his uniform. The pants clung to his lean muscular legs and his belted waist accentuated his flat abs. His wild hair, which my father complained about often, was tucked neatly into his cap, showing off his strong jaw.

I couldn't blame Tanya for wanting him so badly. Not only was he gorgeous, he had such a good heart. He was so forgiving of my quick temper and hot head. I was too much like my father and Edward was the perfect yin to my yang.

I had a crush on Edward for years before we finally went on a date. He confessed feeling the same thing for me, but all his problems with Tanya made him think I wouldn't want him. She had asked him to every dance and every event since freshman year, leading everyone to think they were a couple.

Every time Edward tried to separate himself from her, he would be threatened by her brothers, he constantly had his tires slashed or his locker raided. We were assigned to be lab partners one day and everything changed. We hit it off right away and became great friends.

After a night of studying at my house I finally told him I liked him. He seemed so hesitant that I braced myself for rejection. It was then he told me about Tanya and the fake pregnancy. I was stunned to learn they had actually married until Carlisle put his career on the line to look up the pregnancy test results.

Edward had longed for a career as an ambassador at some overseas location. His scholarship to West Point would have paved the way for him, but Tanya took that away, too. He never complained and set his sights on a state school, although I could see the disappointment in his eyes often.

When he looked my way I waved and smiled. Emmett turned to look at me and I gave him a thumbs up. I was sure Rosalie and Emmett would marry someday. They both looked like the god Zeus chiseled them from a mountain.

Jessica walked into my view and I stood to give her a hug. Her face was purple, but her eye was less swollen and could actually open.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "Mike would understand if you didn't come."

"Are you kidding me," she laughed. "I'm milking this for all I can. Every time he looks at me he offers to do something for me or buy me something. I may end up with a diamond over this."

I looked over at Mike as he made his way to the catcher's box and he waved sadly at Jessica. I pushed her lightly, "You're evil."

"I do what I can," she shrugged.

Mike was the preppy overachiever, always running for some elected position to keep his popularity in check. Jessica was his trophy girlfriend. She was cute, perky, accepted his answers without questions, and stressed over the day when he would probably dump her.

Mike cheated on her often, something Jessica accepted as part of dating the most popular boy. She found comfort in the fact he always came back to her and let her be his "in public" girlfriend. I was anxious for college to knock him down a peg or two.

We watched the inning before speaking and I finally found the nerve to ask her what had happened in the house after I left.

"We never heard anything until the guy broke down the door. We couldn't hold him back, he was too strong. I was so stupid, I had the glass shard in my hand and I never even used it. I tried to run past him, but he caught me with a right hook and I was down for the count."

I only nodded. The images running through my head were too disturbing to comment on.

"Lauren told me Rose came running down the hallway with the curtain rod and ran it right through the guy." I noticed Jess's hands begin to shake, so I reached out and held onto one.

She lowered her head and her voice as she continued. "Then she hit him right in the nose, pushing it up into his brain."

My stomach lurched a little, but I was so proud of Rosalie. "She had to do it," I said.

"Oh, totally," Jess answered. "He would have killed me and Lauren. When I came to, we had to pull Rose back to the other bathroom. She wouldn't move, and she wouldn't talk at all. I was so afraid she was going to just freak or something, but she just sat in the tub staring at nothing."

"I went to the hospital and she's much better."

"Yeah," Jess continued. "I just came from seeing Jasper."

"How's that going?" I asked.

"Good, he was wrapped around Alice like she was his oxygen tank."

We smiled at each other. "I guess we can't complain about him anymore," I said.

"Yeah, I feel badly for him, but shouldn't his parents get him some help or something. It just seems like he could go postal if anything happened to Alice. What if she broke up with him, I don't think he could take it."

"You know Alice; she will make Jasper her lifelong project. But I think she really loves him."

"There's Lauren," she motioned. I looked up to see her holding hands with Eric and coming our way.

Lauren was the quintessential insecure girl. She constantly compared herself to others and made sure to mention to everyone she was not Eric's girlfriend. Her fear of him breaking up with her, or cheating, made her too afraid to commit. Eric liked having what he saw as a low maintenance girlfriend, totally oblivious to how much Lauren needed him to prove himself to her.

I heard Edward's name called over the speaker and turned to watch him bat. I could tell his stance was a lot stiffer and he seemed to be having a hard time concentrating on the pitches.

"You can do it, baby," I screamed.

"Yeah, come on, baby," Emmett mocked me.

Edward swung and made it to second base. I stood and cheered and remained standing as I watched in fear when he took a huge lead off the base. The pitcher turned and threw, but Edward slid head first to beat the ball.

"I hate when he does that," I complained and sat down.

"What, plays baseball?" Eric responded.

"Shut-up, you know what I mean."

"Looks like he has a fan club," Eric said nodding towards the fence.

I saw Tanya and her minions standing behind the third base fence cheering for Edward as he stole third. She looked over at me and pulled her hand up to her cheek and waved to ridicule me.

I lifted both hands in the air and proudly waved as I flipped her off. She turned in a huff and went back to yelling for Edward. He stood a couple of feet off of third base and tried to ignore her voice calling to him.

"You look so hot in your uniform," she yelled and the third baseman for the other team looked at Edward and laughed.

"Don't laugh at my ex-husband," she said to the guy and he looked at Edward in shock. I could tell she was getting to him by the way his jaw tightened in anger, but he continued to ignore her banter.

Emmett hit the next pitch over the fence and began trotting around the bases. Edward waited at home plate for him to make his victory lap. When Emmett was jogging the stretch from third to home, he raised a fist in the air and screamed, "For Rosie." The entire bleachers erupted into applause.

The game was pretty much one sided and a win placed our team as the regional champs. I tried to be excited, but heaviness weighed on me, making mundane things like baseball seem unimportant. I was happy for Edward and his success. It would be a great ending to his awful year if he could walk away with a championship, and I wanted it so badly, just for him.

My thoughts were interrupted by Jessica leaning over me to poke Lauren. She mouthed silently to her. "Did you tell Eric?"

"No!" Lauren mouthed back emphatically.

"Tell him," Jess encouraged.

Lauren shook her head and glared at Jess. I poked Lauren with my elbow and nodded in agreement with Jessica. Eric finally looked at us and we all started laughing.

"What?" he asked and glared at us like he thought we were talking about him.

"Nothing," Lauren assured him.

"Chicken," I whispered.

Lauren stood and announced she was leaving. When Eric didn't stand too, she sat back down and sighed angrily. "Do you want to get a drink?" she asked me.

"Sure." I stood and followed her down the steps as Jessica scooted over to talk to Eric. We headed to the crowded concession stand and I hated being the center of attention. Everyone acted like we were celebrities and they were afraid to approach us.

I bought Edward a Gatorade and walked to the dugout when I saw Tanya standing watch close by. The game was just about over and a crowd of students was gathering to congratulate the team.

When the umpire yelled Game, everyone pushed forward, spilling out onto the field with the players, jumping up and down and screaming. I was jostled and shoved in every direction as I tried to keep my eye on Edward.

I got free of the crowd just as Tanya threw her arms around Edward's neck. He stiffened and tried to push her off of him, but she held on tightly. I came up behind her and grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled her off my man.

She screamed loudly and I got hit from behind by a crowd of underclassmen trying to get to Edward and congratulate him, moving me from standing directly in front of Tanya and separating me more from Edward.

He was pushing his way in frustration through the crowd as I tried to find my way back to him. I was on my tip toes straining for his face when someone punched me, hard, right in the stomach. I gasped and fell forward holding my hands out to protect me from the suffocating crowd, dropping the Gatorade bottle.

I moved backwards from the mob to get some air and stumbled into the clear. I had my hands on my knees groaning when Angela leaned into my view, "Are you okay, Bella?"

I shook my head trying to snap out of the pain and slowly stood upright. I reached out and put my hand on Ben's arm to steady myself. Ben and Angela were the two sweetest people in the town of Forks. They were made for each other.

Angela hung around with us, but we never felt like she was truly one of us. She was what we all hoped we could be someday. Ben was popular, but I couldn't really say why. He hung around with Edward's group of friends, but he never took part in any of the off colored stuff they did. I always thought my father must have been a lot like Ben when he was in school.

"Someone sucker punched me," I told them.

I looked around for Tanya, but didn't see her anywhere. Surely she had run, right after hitting me. I had to give it to her, she could really punch. Edward came up at that point and grabbed me looking concerned.

"Someone hit her," Angela said distressed.

"Who," Edward asked in anger. 

"I don't know, it came out of nowhere. Let's just go," I said feeling a bit nauseous.

"Let me get my bat bag." He trotted off to the locker room as I said goodbye to Angela and Ben. I walked to his car and leaned against it as I waited for him. When he returned I refused to move from the door and hugged him tightly. I kissed him several times as he moaned in gratitude.

"Congratulations, slugger," I smiled.

"Thanks, not much of a game today, regionals should be better. You want to grab lunch?" he asked.

"Sure, can I leave my dad's truck here and come back for it?"

I saw his mom walking towards us and I motioned with my head. Edward turned and smiled lovingly at her. We were wearing the exact same shirt, both proudly showing off Edward's name and number. Her shirt was ironed to perfection and mine looked like I picked it up off my bedroom floor.

"Hi, Bella," she said. "I'm happy you are doing so well. Carlisle was very worried about all of you."

"We'll be fine, it may take awhile, but we'll get there," I said trying to sound confident.

She looked slightly embarrassed and added. "I understand if you need Edward to stay close for awhile."

"I'm sorry, if last night bothered you," I offered. "We only slept."

She nodded and put her arm around Edward. "Congratulations son, you played really well today."

He smiled and hugged her tightly. "Bella and I are going to get some lunch, you want to join us?"

"No, I'm actually waiting for an important call from a client. Go ahead." She kissed him on the cheek and squeezed my arm before heading to her car.

"I guess you're stuck with just me," I teased. I placed my hand on his chest and he stepped closer, pinning me to his car.

"Perfect," he whispered as he put his hands in my hair and let it fall slowly through his fingers.

"What's this?" he asked as he pulled something from my back.

In his hand he held a yellow post-it note and he looked at it in confusion. He turned the paper towards me and two simple words sent my world crashing down around me.

_Finders Keepers._

**Chapter 9**

My mouth was dry and I search around me for bright red hair. There were so many places around the school, and the wooded area next to the parking lot, for someone to hide. I gasped and had to grab onto Edward to remain standing.

"Where did you get that?" I screamed at him.

"It was on your back. What does it mean?" I could tell my reaction scared him and his eyes were searching the parking lot for help.

"Get my dad," I said as I slid onto my heels, leaning against his car.

Edward began digging through his bat bag for his phone and found the contents of his wallet dumped all over. He lifted the bits of paper, which used to be pictures of us, and stared at them dumbfounded.

"Someone got into my bag," he said.

"How, wasn't it in your locker?" I asked with a shaky voice.

"Yeah, it was," he said with narrowed eyes.

Emmett and Mike came into view, heading to their cars, when Edward called them over.

"Have you guys checked your bags?" he asked them both.

In tandem they dropped their bags off their shoulders and unzipped them. Emmett reached in and pulled out a handful of shower curtain rings, "What the hell are these?"

I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from screaming. I closed my eyes tightly to swallow the bile rising up in me. He then pulled out a picture of Rosalie with a round hole poked through the middle, as if a pencil had been jabbed into it.

"This isn't fucking funny," he yelled in anger as he looked around the parking lot.

Mike looked fearfully at his bag and slowly pulled it open wide. He shoved it away and fell onto his butt, backing away as he stared in shock. Emmett reached over and pulled the bag closer, revealing the body of a dead, bloodied, rabbit.

I was shaking so badly Edward had to use both arms to steady me. He placed me in the driver's seat of his car and called Charlie as he kept looking around frantically. Police were all over the place in a matter of minutes. The entire school was blocked off with crime tape and reporters began to arrive.

"Edward," I cried against his chest as we stood where we were told. "It is someone who knows us. This is personal, it has to be Tanya."

"Maybe, but why is she after everyone and not just you and me," he mused as he shook his head.

"Because that is how she can hurt you the most. If she takes away your friends too, then she takes everything."

"But wouldn't it make more sense for her to target my family?"

"Maybe they're next. Why are you defending her?" I yelled. I knew I was being totally irrational, but I wanted this to make sense, so it could be over.

"Defending her… I'm _not,"_ he emphasized as he pushed me away. "You, of all people, know better than to accuse me of that."

I dropped my head in shame and began crying harder. I felt awful for accusing him of taking her side. She had ruined him, almost completely, until I stepped in to show him what real love could be.

"Bella, stop, I didn't mean to yell at you," he offered contritely.

"I deserved it," I admitted. "I know you would never defend Tanya."

He pulled me into a tight hug and I shared my biggest fear with him as I whispered in his ear, "I'm so afraid I am going to die."

I felt a bit ashamed of myself for saying something so dire to Edward. He struggled to keep his thoughts positive and I was constantly afraid of him sinking into a permanent depression. But, his response surprised me. He tightened his hold on me and spoke with a strong voice.

"No, love, you aren't. You're going to grow old with me, surrounded by tons of grandbabies."

I laughed and tightened my own arms. My father walked up and gave Edward his standard 'get your hands off my daughter' stare, before leaning over and looking directly into my eyes. "Bella, we will stop this, understand. We will find them and stop it."

His affirmation scared me, because I could see in his eyes he was trying to convince himself as much as me. I took a deep breath and shook my head. "Dad, whoever is doing this has to know us personally. How do you randomly pick three lockers, all with bat bags the exact same, and also get close enough to put a note right on my body?"

"You never felt anyone touch you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I felt everyone touching me. It was a madhouse on the field after the game."

"Somebody punched Bella, also," Edward told him.

I shook my head in disagreement and my father's face looked angry. "That was just Tanya getting revenge because I pulled her hair."

Charlie took a steadying breath. "Why did you pull her hair?" 

"She was touching something of mine," I told him.

Edward looked nervous and took a step back from Charlie. My dad placed his hands on his hips and looked across the parking lot in frustration. "Do you think you can stay out of Tanya's way until we solve this?"

"Sure," I smiled. "As long as she keeps her hands off of what's mine."

Charlie turned to Edward and looked him up and down. "Do you think you can rein in the charm long enough to help me out here."

Edward lifted his hands in protest. "I'm not doing anything."

"Uh huh," Charlie said in disbelief. "Both of you, get out of here."

Edward followed me to my house and checked all the rooms before having me come in. I let him take a shower and he changed into some sweats he had in his bat bag. "Here," I said as I tossed him an old t-shirt of his I used for a nightgown.

"I was looking for this," he complained.

"Sorry, I took it that night we watched movies at Rose's. You had it over a thermal."

"Oh yeah," he said, as he remembered with a smile the first night our kissing had gotten out of hand. "That was a good night."

"That was a freaking great night," I corrected.

He smiled his sexy smile and lifted me off my feet depositing me easily onto my bed, before climbing in next to me. We lay facing each other as closely as possible.

"Do you want me to make you a sandwich?" I asked him with a smile.

"No," he smiled back.

"Do you want me to order you a pizza?" I asked, as my heartbeat increased.

"No," he said with a husky voice and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" I whispered.

"Yes, I want you to kiss me," he whispered back to me.

I put my hand gently on his cheek as he closed his eyes and sighed. I ran my finger down his jaw and over his perfect lips, before moving my mouth onto his. I brought our lips together softly and just let our mouths feel the sensation. I used my tongue to lightly ghost over his bottom lip causing him to take in a deep breath.

His hands moved to my neck and pulled me closer taking over control of the kiss. I moaned loudly as he moved his body on top of mine. This was somehow different, it wasn't fast and passionate like we could get when lust overtook us, and it wasn't hesitant and careful the way Edward usually moved. This was decisive and purposeful.

After he removed my shirt over my head I looked into his eyes. He was breathing heavily but he wasn't pawing me or rushing his hands. He slowly pushed his lower body against mine and I felt a shudder run through us both.

I wrapped my legs around him, something he never allowed, and gasped at the feeling. He deepened our kiss and I felt totally consumed by him. Every nerve in my body was acutely aware of every action he made.

He was so loving, and so tender, and as he reached for the drawer next to my bed for my stash of condoms, which I never thought we would use, I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm perfect."

He gently kissed each eye leaving wet tears on his lips. I pulled him back to my mouth and kissed him with all the love I could manage. His control amazed me. I heard my friends talk about their first experiences and it sounded like something they had to endure, rather than enjoy.

Edward was gentle and careful with every move he made; making sure it was enjoyable for me. When I finally got there, every sound and sight disappeared, leaving the incredible, indescribable, feeling of joy rippling through my body.

I became aware of my surroundings just as Edward threw his head back clenching his teeth in an attempt to stay quiet. He collapsed panting onto my shoulder as I ran my hands lightly over his sweating back.

As I held him I felt fear begin to rise in my stomach. I couldn't stand the thought of looking into his eyes and seeing regret. I tried to quickly run though our actions mentally to see if there was ever a moment of hesitation on his part that I had ignored. I couldn't think of any.

He finally raised his head and I held my breath in anticipation. He placed his forehead on mine and said, "I have never loved anyone or anything as much as I love you." 

My heart jumped for joy, and I kissed him, over and, over again as I told him how much I loved him. He finally pulled away and removed the condom, dropping it in the trash by my bed. I moved over so he could lie on his back as I snuggled up on his chest.

"I was so afraid you would regret this," I confessed.

His arms tightened around me. "I was such a fool before. I didn't realize I was letting fear interfere with my love for you. I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Don't be," I whispered.

We lay there silently until Edward could feel my face pull into a smile against his skin. He moved his head to the side trying to see my expression and asked, "What's so funny?"

"We just had sex," I giggled.

"And," he encouraged.

"And it was….there is not even a word for it….make up a word because I don't have one."

He laughed and it was the most beautiful sound in the world. "I don't have a word for what just happened," he said seriously. "I've had sex before, but it was never like that."

I cringed at the thought of Tanya touching his body and wished he wouldn't have reminded me, but I was too happy to let anything bring me down.

"Us, that's the word I was looking for. It was us," I said with my lips against his heart.

He pulled my face up to look at his, "I hope I didn't hurt you."

"No, Edward, not at all. You were so gentle."

He ran his hand through my hair and I closed my eyes feeling totally and completely content. The next thing I knew the door bell was ringing.

We both sprang up from a deep sleep and began frantically throwing on our clothes. Edward's hair was all over the place and I had a huge red spot on my cheek from lying on his hard chest. We ran down the stairs and I took a deep breath before opening the door.

"Hi, Belly," Emmett said loudly. He looked at Edward and then back to me, "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Come in, Emmett," I groaned.

We went into the living room, and as I passed Edward to sit, he pulled me onto his lap. I turned to pull my feet onto the couch and smiled into his beautiful face. I wanted to wake up to that sight forever.

"Is this what I think it is?" Emmett asked staring back and forth between us.

"This, is none of your business," Edward said while still looking at me.

"Well, hell, Rosie's gonna be glad to finally get some good news," Emmett laughed and I watched Edward for any reaction.

"You don't have any news," I said as a threat.

"Sure I do, we're gonna laugh at you two and make all kinds of rude comments."

"How's she doing?" I asked him in resignation. I hated the idea of thinking about some psycho when Edward erased it all from my mind. But reality reared its ugly head.

"Good, they said she can go home, but her dad's putting in a security system first."

"Won't that cramp your style," Edward asked, knowing how often Emmett snuck in through her bedroom window.

"Naw, I'm resourceful. You guys want to make a trip to Burger Supreme, Rosie has a craving."

"I'm starving," Edward said as I climbed off his lap.

"Bella," Emmett teased trying to sound like he was chastising me, "You have to feed him before, and after, or his batting average will drop."

"Bite me, Em," I yelled out as I climbed the stairs for our shoes.

We all rode in Emmett's truck and took the burgers to the hospital to eat. We walked into Rose's room to find Jasper in a wheelchair with Alice sitting on the arm, so we offered Emmett's extra burgers to them.

After we all had some food, Emmett lifted his burger and said, "To our brave, amazing girls."

Edward and Jasper raised their burgers in agreement.

"And," Emmett continued, "To Bella and Edward for finally gettin it on!"

Rose and Alice looked at me for confirmation and received it as my face turned bright red. I quickly took a bite of my burger as everyone laughed and cheered.


	4. Chapter 10 to 12

Chapter 10

Alice left to take Jasper back to his room and just as Edward and I were ready to go, Angela walked in. I noticed Rose's smile widened a bit when she saw her and reached out for her hand. Emmett moved so Ang could sit next to the bed.

Ben was holding a Gatorade and handed it to Emmett when he reached for a sip. "I had an extra but Jasper took it," Ben said with remorse.

"We ran into Jasper and Alice in the hall," Angela said, and then took an embarrassed peek at me and Edward.

I wanted to throttle Alice for obviously telling Angela and Ben the 'big' news. I was sure the whole town would know by the weekend. I looked at Edward and worried about how he would handle the gossip.

"We're going to run," I announced and walked to the bed to give Rose a hug. Right then my phone rang so I dug it out of my pocket without walking away.

"Hi, dad." I instantly wondered if he had somehow heard the gossip about my afternoon activity.

"Edward's with me, can he bring me?"

"Okay, see ya in a few."

I hung up and Edward looked at me with eyebrows raised. "He wants you to drop me by the station," I told him.

Emmett pulled out his keys and tossed them to Edward, "Pick me up on your way home."

When we got to the truck I pulled on Edward's arm. "I'm sorry about this being public knowledge. I really wish we could keep it to ourselves."

"The whole world can know how much I love you, I don't care," he said before kissing me lightly.

I sat up against his side rubbing my hand on his stomach as we drove to the station. It was great not having to worry about him pulling away or asking me to stop. I felt like I could touch him as much as I wanted now.

We found Charlie sitting in his office and he motioned for us to have a seat. "We have some information on the dead man," he said while looking at his computer screen.

"It wasn't Mr. Klein?" I asked in shock.

"Oh, yeah, the man in the water was Mr. Klein, I meant the man in the house."

"Oh," was all I could say.

"His name was Laurent. He was a religious fanatic from Alabama who went a little nuts, started believing he was Satan or something."

"I believe that," I mumbled.

"We still haven't gotten anything from the other guy and no sign of the woman yet." I felt my hope plummet but my father didn't seem at all concerned about the possibility she wouldn't be found.

"Was this Laurent guy connected to anyone in town? Did he know the Denali's?" Edward asked.

"He was a counselor at a Bible camp outside of Seattle a couple of years ago, but that is the only Washington connection we can find."

"Dad, nobody knew about the rabbits and the words, finders keepers, so somebody who knows us has to be involved. Plus, he specifically mentioned you, dad."

"I agree, but we can't find the connection yet. It has to be through James or the woman. I went through all the arrest records for the last five years and there is nothing to match any of them."

My father could tell how stressed I was, so we sat and chatted about the team's chances at regionals for awhile. Baseball was the only subject both of my men could relate to and the only subject they could talk freely about. Finally Charlie told Edward he could leave and I could ride home with him.

I walked Edward to Emmett's truck and didn't want this day to end. I wanted to go home to a place we shared together, so I could spend hours upon hours in his bed, wrapped tightly in his arms. "I'll miss you tonight," I whined.

He ran his hand through my hair and smiled at me, "Thank you, for today."

"It was my pleasure," I giggled. "So… no regrets?"

"Yes, one."

My eyes snapped up to see him smiling and my heart melted at the sight.

"I just wish we hadn't waited so long." I could see the regret in his eyes along with the love he felt for me, and hoped he could see the same in mine.

"Well, if you recall Mr. Cullen I tried my best to tempt you long ago, what was so special about today?" I teased him.

He laughed and shrugged, "I guess you could say I was kind of on a roll today."

I looked at him with a confused expression.

"It was a high scoring day," he laughed referring to the uneven score of the baseball game.

"I was just another homerun?" I protested.

"No, love, you were a stolen base," he laughed.

"Are you kidding, I walked you all the way in."

He picked me up and twirled me around a couple of times before leaning me against Emmett's truck and kissing me hard. My hands went to his hair and his ran down the back of my body before my dad cleared his throat.

"I love you, Bella," he said as he regrettably pulled away.

"I love you, Edward."

I stood there watching him drive out of sight. I would remember this day forever and couldn't wait to be alone with him again.

My dad made a couple of stops and when I finally got home Edward's car was gone. I went to my room and removed the soiled sheets before my dad saw them. I picked up the trash, to empty it into the container in the garage, and saw it was empty. I looked around the floor to see if maybe Edward had missed when he tossed the condom. I couldn't even find the wrapper.

"Crap," I said under my breath and looked toward the hallway.

How could I possibly ask my dad about it? I didn't want to hear his lecture about his house, his rules. I thought back to how he acted at the station. Nothing in his demeanor showed he was aware Edward just relieved his all too willing daughter of her innocence.

I pulled out my phone to call Edward when my dad hollered up to me. "Bells, want to watch a movie?"

This was new….maybe my near death experience was giving my dad a whole new appreciation and he was willing to give up baseball or fishing to spend time with me. I just really wished he hadn't chosen this night to do it. I wanted to go over every detail of my time with Edward and sear it into my memory. I would probably end up writing a poem or some pathetic girly thing like that.

I walked downstairs and looked at Charlie, trying to decipher if he knew or not. He seemed perfectly normal and wasn't even playing with his mustache, like he normally did when he was anxious. I curled up on the couch as he put the movie Ironman in the DVD player. I didn't make it long before I was sound asleep.

I felt my dad shake me lightly calling my name, so I sat up. "I'll get in my bed," I said sleepily.

"Bella, I need to go in, so I'm going to drop you at the Stanley's," he said with a tight voice.

"Can't Edward just come over?" I asked and knew he would never agree, but my less than awake state gave me the courage to ask.

"I already called the Stanley's and Lauren is spending the night, too, so I'll take you there."

"Okay, let me grab my pillow and some clothes," I grumbled as I headed slowly toward the stairs.

"Hurry, Bells," he said, sounding very agitated.

I was shocked to see it was three in the morning. "Dad," I called out. "Can't I just sleep here, it's almost morning."

"Now, Bella," he said forcefully. I could tell something was terribly wrong. I hurried down the stairs and could see the stress in my dad's eyes as he played with his mustache.

"Anything wrong, dad?"

"Just work," he said as his jaw tensed.

The lights were on at the Stanley's and the door opened before I could knock. Mr. Stanley waved to my dad and I headed right for Jessica's room. I found her and Lauren sound asleep, so I climbed up on the spare bed to lay at Lauren's feet. It took some time, but I finally fell asleep.

I woke up to my cell phone ringing. I was disoriented and didn't make it in time to answer the call. I was sure it was Edward checking on me, but when I looked at my phone I saw it was Angela.

The door opened and Jess walked in carrying a glass of juice. "How did you get here?" she asked.

"My dad made me come when he got called in. It was freaking three in the morning; I guess I will be babysat till they catch the woman."

Lauren came out of the bathroom and lay down next to me. I began playing with her hair while Jess turned on her ipod. We didn't want to think about the cabin and needed to feel normal for a change. Life used to be simple and our troubles consisted or parent issues or boyfriend issues.

"So, is the big news about you and Edward true?" Jess asked.

"Are you kidding me, how did you find out?" I said in anger.

"Ben told Mike…and just so you know, Ben is totally disgusted with you both. He didn't feel like so much of a freak, when he wasn't the only hold out."

"Yeah, I lost my virginity just to spite Ben."

"Well, I'm relieved," Jessica announced. "I was afraid Mike was going to make a pass at you just to get it over with. I can't believe how stubborn Edward can be. So…." she giggled, "How was it?"

"I'm sure it was awful, just like sex always is," Lauren added with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, boy are you sleeping with the wrong guys," I laughed and fell back on the bed with my hand over my heart.

They both screamed loudly and moved closer to me wanting details.

Jess's phone rang at that moment and she held up her hand to stop me from speaking until she was ready. She answered, "Hi Ang."

Her smile fell and she listened for a bit before she gasped and yelled, "No way." Her eyes went straight to me and I sat back up. "Bella's here, can I tell her?"

She listened for a little longer, driving me insane with curiosity, and finally put the phone down.

"You are never going to believe this, Bella. Tanya died last night."

I heard the words, but I couldn't fit them into any sentence that made sense to my already stressed brain. I had dreamed of hearing those words, certain I would be ecstatic and plan a huge party. But, there was nothing joyful at all. In fact, I felt a little sick to my stomach.

"What?" I asked so she would repeat herself.

"Tanya was killed in her sleep last night, right in her own room. She was murdered," Jessica added for emphasis.

I now knew why Charlie made me leave the house. I grabbed my phone and called Edward, he needed to know things would change for him now. His phone was turned off, so I called his house. It rang several times, but nobody picked up.

"How did Angela find out, is it on the news?" I asked.

"She said her father was called to the home as a spiritual advisor for Mrs. Denali. He wants to send Angela away now, because he is so worried. She's freaking out that it will ruin her wedding plans if she has to leave."

I tried to call Edward again and this time I left a message. "Edward, this is Bella. Your phone is turned off so call me as soon as you get this message."

"Can I use your car, Jess?"

"I guess, but where are you going."

"I have to tell Edward. I really thought the Denali's were involved in the whole cabin thing, but I guess not. At least Edward will know his nightmare is finally ending."

I took her keys and ran for the door, just when I opened it my dad was there with his hand lifted, ready to knock. "Dad, I just heard about Tanya," I said as I tried to catch my breath.

He took hold of my shoulders and pushed me back into the Stanley's house. "I need to talk with you, Bells."

I waited impatiently for him to lecture me on personal safety, when he pulled me into a tight hug and whispered, "I am so sorry, honey."

"Dad," I said pulling away from him, "You're scaring me." I looked into his eyes and my chest tightened so much I could hardly breathe.

He stood silently.

"I'm going to Edward's," I said trying to will the news he had to tell me away.

"You can't, sweetie."

Tears welled up in my eyes and I began biting my bottom lip as I looked around the room for something to concentrate on. He led me to the couch and sat me down. I was shaking badly, and remembered when he told me my mom had terminal cancer.

He had come to Arizona for a visit and that alone was odd, but when he sat me on the couch and told me how sorry he was, I knew everything in my life had changed. He promised to take care of me and said I would be happy in Forks. I didn't know how I would ever be happy again. Who would teach me how to be a woman, and help me raise my own children? I had felt so lost.

I felt the exact same way now, something awful was coming and I wasn't sure if I could take anymore.

"Dad, please." I begged as tears slid down my face. I didn't know what I was begging him for, but I knew my happiness was about to end and I wanted my father to do everything in his power to stop it. Wasn't that what fathers were for?

He took my hands in his and looked into my eyes as he spoke very softly and ended all my hope for happiness. "I had to arrest Edward this morning for the murder of Tanya Denali."

**Chapter 11**

My reason for living was pulled out from under me. Edward was everything good and Tanya was pure evil. There was no way he could do what my father was accusing him of doing. I pulled my hands from his and shook my head as I tried to catch my breath.

"It's not true," I said.

Charlie didn't respond and gave me a moment to work it out in my head. It couldn't be true, he made love to me yesterday, our relationship was moving forward and our future together was bright.

"Dad, it can't be true. Her father is just blaming it on Edward."

"Honey, they have some pretty good evidence," Charlie said softly and I couldn't understand why he didn't believe me.

"What evidence?" I demanded, sure I could prove it was a set up.

"She was raped; they have body fluids as well as his hair in her hands. You have to admit Bells, he has pretty unique hair."

I felt like my chest wouldn't expand to breathe in enough air. I was suffocating with the thought of Edward being locked away because of Tanya. She was dead and still destroying his life.

"Dad, it can't be true, because if it is, I don't want to live anymore."

"Bella, you know the history they have, Edward was bound to react sometime. It would take a saint to ignore what she has done to him. Add to it the fact he thought the Denali's were behind what is happening to you and it's a pretty cut and dry case."

I knew their history would look damning for Edward, but I also knew it was possible to frame him with the missing condom. I had to save him, by telling my father I had sex with Edward in my room.

"Dad, I'm going to hurt you with what I have to say and I just want you to remember that I love you, but I'm an adult now and I love Edward, too."

His eyes narrowed and he braced himself.

"Edward and I had sex for the first time yesterday…in my room. Last night when I got home I washed my sheets and went to take my garbage out, because there was a used condom in it. But it was gone."

Charlie slowly stood and paced a few times rubbing the back of his neck. I knew how much I had disappointed him, but I couldn't think about that right now. Edward was innocent and if I didn't do something he would be locked away from me forever.

"Dad, Edward would never rape Tanya the very day he made love to me."

"You're going to have to tell this story to a lot of people Bella. The Denali's are ready to have Edward electrocuted and they will bribe whoever it takes to make sure it happens."

"I had more of a problem with Tanya than Edward did. He was resigned to his new plans; I was the one who couldn't deal with her," I pointed out.

A loud knock sounded on the door and it swung open to reveal Emmitt. He looked at my father in anger. "Come on Chief, you know damn good and well Edward couldn't kill anyone. He wouldn't touch Tanya, not even to kill her. He never went near her."

"They have evidence, Emmett. It's in the courts hands now."

"No, dad," I yelled. "There is a killer out there doing anything she can to ruin my life. She took the condom and she took Edward's hair from my brush. You have to find her, dad." I was now screaming and close to hysterics.

Emmett looked at me and lifted his hands to say he wasn't following.

"Emmett you know, tell him, tell my dad about yesterday. How you came over right after Edward and I had sex, tell him."

Emmett, despite his huge size, seemed to cower at the thought of telling my father what I wanted him to say. I grabbed the front of his shirt pulling myself right up to his face.

"Edward threw the condom in my trash and it was gone. His fluid _IS_ on Tanya, but he didn't do it. You have to help me, Emmett."

He turned to look at my dad sheepishly. "Sir, I'm sure Edward isn't your favorite person right now, but as his friend, I know how much he loves Bella. He would never jeopardize his relationship with her, especially with Tanya."

Charlie stood in the middle of the room trying to think. He finally turned to me with an apprehensive look. "We need James to talk. If someone, let's say someone like Bella, happened to get into the jail section of the station when the guard was busy, maybe this person could get him to say something."

"I'll do it, dad."

He walked over and put his hand on my face. "Bella, you could get in a lot of trouble. And if it doesn't work, James' lawyer will have a field day with it."

"How could he, you had no idea I was planning to do it?" I smiled.

"I can't let you near Edward, honey. The Denali's would have him moved to a state facility. You have to stay away from him, understand?"

How could I promise to stay away from the man I love more than myself? Could I really be in the same area he was and ignore him? I wanted him to know I was doing everything I could to prove he was innocent.

I nodded weakly and my dad nodded in return.

"Emmett how did you hear the news?" Charlie asked him.

"I got a call from Esme, they're pretty ripped up over this."

"Can I go see them, Dad?"

"Sure, Um, I got a call saying you can pick up your jeep. Do you want me to have it towed?"

Yesterday I would have said yes, today my world was so much worse than what happened at the cabin. I knew I had to eventually face the fear, it couldn't be a memory buried deep in the forest, some obscure road that gave me the creeps every time I drove past.

"I can get it for you, Bella," Emmett offered.

"Let me talk to Carlisle and Esme and then I will figure something out." 

Emmett gave me a ride to the Cullen's home. Esme opened the door while I was getting out of the truck. I ran to her and we both sobbed openly. Emmett stayed back and paced awkwardly.

She finally led me into the home. I sat on the couch next to Carlisle as she sat in a chair next to Emmett.

"He didn't do this," I said adamantly. "I know how they got his…um…the evidence they have."

Carlisle suddenly seemed to have hope. He sat up straighter and his eyes were no longer flat and lifeless.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, and I feel like I am betraying Edward, but you have to know how he is being framed. Edward and I had sex for the first time yesterday, and his used condom disappeared from my house."

"I think everything that has happened is related to the fiend they have locked up," Emmett said. "He's working with someone we all know, someone who hates Edward and Bella."

"Plus, they have never found the woman," I added.

Carlisle cleared his throat, which was very hoarse, and gave me some news that made my head spin. "They found one of Esme's knives in Edward's car….with Tanya's blood on it."

For a moment, a split second, I let my mind consider something I wasn't willing to accept. What if Edward killed her? What if her taunting, and her demands, and her constant stalking drove him over the edge? But one fact pulled me right back to my senses. He would never rape her. He would never do that on the same day he made love to me, it was not even a remote possibility.

"So what," I said to Carlisle. "You don't think a person capable of stealing a used condom can steal a knife?"

My phone beeped and I looked at the text I just received from Alice, it read: Jasper not doing well; may lose leg.

It was too much to comprehend at the moment. This was supposed to be the best time of our lives, we were young and in love and had the world at our fingertips, but somebody was systematically ruining our lives and I didn't have a clue who it could be.

I finally reached my limit, my poor brain and heart could not take anymore. I stood and the room began to close in on me and everything went black.

I woke up lying on Carlisle's sofa with my feet on some pillows. "Bella, do you feel better?" he asked me.

"Jasper," I said.

"Yes," Carlisle answered. "He has a rare bacterium in his blood. It lives in streams and rivers so he most likely got it from the forest or from the trap."

"Let us call your father to come get you," Esme offered.

"No, I have something I have to do, to help Edward."

"We've hired an attorney, Bella; he will contact you when he needs your information. We will tell him what you shared with us."

I nodded and looked at Emmett; he understood what it was I needed to do. "I'll take her right home," he agreed.

Instead, we headed to the station. I walked inside while Emmett waited in his truck. Charlie saw me and picked up the phone to call the officer watching the jail area. When he sat the phone down and put his hand up to his hair and held up his fingers, first four, then five, then two. I nodded at him and waited for the officer to enter his office.

I hurried past the open door; nobody seemed to notice or care. I was a pretty constant fixture around the place for many years. When I got to the security door I punched in four, five, two and a little light turned green, so I pushed the door open.

When I got to the second cell I saw him, James, lying on his bunk. Edward's freedom was depending on me, so this just had to work. I walked up close to the bars and took hold of them for strength, "Finders, keepers, asshole."

He jumped up quickly, but then stopped where he was and smiled at me, "Lonely, sweetheart?" 

"Not as lonely as you, maybe your little girlfriend will join you soon….unless she has moved on to bigger," I looked at his crotch, "and better."

"I'm not worried," he chuckled.

"Yeah, that's what Laurent said….right before my friend turned him into a shish kabob."

I saw his eyes flash as if he was getting the news for the very first time. His hands flexed and the muscles in his neck tensed.

"Oh yeah, she ran a stick right through him, then shoved his nose through his brain. All that muscle and he was bested by a girl, kind of emasculating, don't you think?"

"Who's Laurent," he said with a smirk.

"Didn't you know? He's the antichrist…gonna rid the world of all of us weak pious people. Oops, guess he didn't have eternal life after all. You should have paid better attention at Bible camp."

I saw James swallow; he was suddenly taking me seriously.

"He's going to kill you," James said as he walked toward the bars. His voice was shaking but it wasn't fear, it was anger he was trying to control.

"Sorry, but dead guys can't kill," I said with a smirk.

He stood right in front of me, but I kept my hands on the bars, ready for any sudden movement to pull them back.

"Believe me; you are as good as dead," he whispered.

I stared into his wild eyes and suddenly had a hunch we were talking about two different people. I decided to run with it and see if I was right. "He's just as weak as Laurent was," I said with as much distain as I could muster.

He lunged at the bars and I pulled my hands down just in time. "He is perfection and a little slut like you will never bring him down." James was spitting from rage at the very mention of his mentor being called weak.

"He's a coward, sitting back to let you take the fall. Too afraid to face anyone while little girls pick off his friends one by one."

"You vile whore," he screamed at me. "You jezebel, it's time for your sex to be wiped off the earth. You're weak and stupid and he has no need for any of you."

I smiled as big as I could and shook my head, "Weak? Look where you are, idiot."

"You'll see, vengeance is his, what he finds he can keep."

I took a step closer but remained just out of his reach and kept my hands away from the bars. "I found you, and I get to keep you, locked away in a cage like a dog. Roll over, play dead, James."

"He's coming," James whispered and shook a finger at me.

"Bring it on, I'm ready, and when I look into his scared, pitiful eyes what message do you want me to give him from you?"

"That I will join him, soon," he sneered at me.

"Sure you will, hell has lots of room. And I will be sure and tell him how much you miss screwing him, but your new shower buddy is helping you forget."

I hit a nerve and it suddenly became very clear that James was not involved with the woman, but with whomever from town was helping him. He looked not only angry, but a little panicked.

I pretended to know what was going on; I hit my hand on my forehead and exclaimed, "Of course, it all makes sense now. It was him all along; he got into the locker room and into my room. Thank you, James."

"I didn't tell you anything," he screamed.

"That's not the story he's gonna hear."

"You bitch, you know nothing. He will kill you, just like he planned, and take him away from you. He will belong to the master and he will keep him forever."

I felt the blood drain from my face. Was this about Edward, did some psycho want my boyfriend? I had been so worried over Tanya and she may have been killed for simply wanting Edward, when some man wanted him. Maybe she was just competition the guy wanted out of the way?

I was just plain pissed now. I didn't care which gender it was, Edward was mine and I wasn't about to let anyone take him from me.

"I like you James," I said calmly. "So I'm gonna give you a little advice. I'm an only child; I guess you could say I'm a bit spoiled. There is one thing I never allow, and that is somebody touching my shit. And unfortunately, He, and we both know who I mean, touched my shit."

Anger boiled up in me when I thought about Edward being framed and the venom in my own voice scared me. "He's gonna pay!"

I turned and walked away, out of the secured area and down the hallway. A door to an interrogation room opened and an officer pulled a handcuffed suspect out into the open. My heart sank when I saw his red, puffy, eyes.

"Edward," I yelled as I dove at him.

The officer jumped in my way and pushed me hard, sending me crashing to the ground. Edward swung his bound hands at the man, "Keep your hands off of her," he screamed in rage.

Two other officers jumped into the skirmish, pinning Edward against the wall with an arm across the back of his neck.

"Stop it, you're hurting him! Dad," I screamed.

A large figure stepped out from behind the officers. He bent down to where I was sprawled on the ground, so his round bloated face was right up to mine. I could smell the cigar on his breath and he reeked of expensive cologne.

"This is your fault, Bella Swan. My baby girl is dead and I will make sure you get what's coming to you."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Denali?" My father said behind him.

The man stood, almost a full foot shorter than my dad and straightened his suit. "That's a promise, Charlie."

**Chapter 12**

I gave my father all the information I got from James. None of it would be admissible in court, but it gave my father some clues to follow up on. He asked me to keep the information quiet and not to tell my friends. I was all too aware how quickly information passed with my friends.

"Dad, I'm so sorry for all the trouble this has caused, but I am not sorry for loving Edward."

"I have to remind myself sometimes that you are not ten years old anymore. I guess I want to always be the man in your life."

"Just like I always want to be your little girl," I said with tears in my eyes.

He stood from where he was leaning against his desk and pulled me into his arms. "You will always be my little girl," he said as he kissed my head.

"I am so scared, dad," I cried.

"I'm going to figure this out, Bells, I can feel it."

I nodded against his chest and sighed.

"Emmett," my dad called out loudly.

"Yeah," a voice said behind me.

"You're on the clock now. You don't let her out of your sight."

"Dad, Emmett has practice today and a big game tomorrow."

"Then I guess you do, too," Emmett said with a laugh. "Guess you're our new bat girl?"

I rolled my eyes and deep down didn't know how I would be able to cheer the team on without Edward; his one bright spot from his senior year taken away from him, again.

I was sitting in the dug out watching Jake, a sophomore, taking Edward's place at shortstop. It looked all wrong. Jake was too tall and too muscular and his brown skin was a direct contrast to Edward's pale complexion.

"Bella," Angela called softly. "I turned to see her and Ben standing sheepishly outside the dug out.

"Hi Ang, Hi Ben, come on in."

They walked over and sat next to me. Angela put her arm around my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I let the tears fall and rested my head on her shoulder, "Will this ever end?"

"Yes, honey, it will end, but you have to do what you made us do at the cabin; you have to stay strong and keep the faith."

"I'm trying," I assured her."

"I got a call saying I can pick up my suitcase at the state police office," she informed me. "Ben's going to take me."

"Yeah, my dad said I can go get my jeep, too. It's still at the cabin and I need to replace the battery."

"Do you need some help?" Ben asked.

"Emmett said he would get it for me, but I hate to take his focus off the game."

"Angela and I are going to the game tomorrow, you can come with us and we can go by and get your jeep on the way back. I'll drive it home, if you don't want to," he offered.

"I'm not sure I want to go there," Angela said softly.

"It will be daylight, you can just drop me off and I'll fix the jeep," he said, being much braver than me or Angela.

"Thanks Ben, let me talk with my dad and Emmett, I just may take you up on it."

I had to admit I felt more secure with Emmett than Ben, but that was just because Ben was so laid back and sweet. He wasn't a small guy, just polite and mannerly.

"I saw Edward," I told them as fresh tears fell.

"How is he?" Ang asked.

"Horrible. He's innocent," I demanded. "How could anyone think Edward would hurt Tanya now, after everything she has done, why would he do something now?"

She just squeezed me and didn't agree or offer her own defense of him. If Angela doubted Edward's innocence, he didn't stand a chance.

"Have you heard any news on Jasper?" I asked, angry that she didn't defend Edward.

"I guess they are trying to figure out how the bacteria got into his system. It can't live outside of water, so he had to drink it."

"I'm sure he drank tainted water, as he was crawling around out there," I mused.

"He swears he didn't. He's only had Gatorade and milk from the hospital."

"Did they check his IV?" I was wondering if someone was tampering with it.

"Yes, they didn't find anything," Ben said shaking his head.

"How's Alice?" I could only imagine how hard she would be taking the turn of events. I knew she would love Jasper all the same, whether he lost his leg or not.

"Bouncing off the walls. The mayor told me she won't leave the room at all."

"Well, she knows Jasper wouldn't want her to leave."

Ben rolled his eyes and I knew Angela hadn't filled him in on Jasper's history. Angela was so trust worthy and never gossiped or got involved in petty matters. How did perfect people like her exist in a world so evil and not become jaded.

The players were coming in for a drink break so Ben and Angela said their goodbyes.

Emmett patted Ben on the back as he walked by.

Jake seemed like he was trying to avoid me and I knew he must be uncomfortable taking Edward's spot right in front of me. I walked over to him and said, "Jake, you're looking good out there. Make Edward proud."

"I'll try, the pressure's on, ya know." 

"Yeah, I bet. Just stay loose and don't swing at the high pitches. You tend to drop your elbow and pop ups won't do us any good."

The entire dugout got quiet and then broke into loud laughter. "Crap Bella, just castrate him why don't you," Emmett roared.

I knew what I was talking about and just because I was a girl I wasn't going to back down. So while I had their attention I was going to straighten out some of the other guys, too.

"Emmett you take an extra step when you throw to first. You don't need it and it cost time. Mike, stagger your feet when protecting home plate so the runner can't knock you down or reach the plate between your legs. Sam you play too shallow, run into the ball not back to it."

Coach Banner came over and put his arm around me. "I've told them this stuff for four years now, they won't listen to me, but maybe they will listen to a pretty face."

I stuck my tongue out at Emmett.

"Okay men," Coach Banner said. "As you heard, we have a lot of work to do, get on the field."

He leaned over to me and whispered, "I'm impressed."

"My dad's a baseball fanatic and he doesn't have a son," I explained as my face reddened.

I walked over to take my assigned seat back on the bench and watched the rest of practice as I ached for Edward.

"Want to go see Rosie?" Emmett asked as we drove out of the parking lot.

"Sure." I knew he wanted to see Rosalie, and since he was stuck with me, it was important that I wanted to see her.

I noticed a car sitting outside the house with a very large man inside. I had no idea why they didn't just stick with Emmett by her side constantly, instead of paying for a private body guard.

Rosalie was sitting by the pool in a bikini showing off her disgustingly perfect body. "Hi, baby, Hi, Emmett," she teased.

He ran over and pretended to throw her in the pool as she screamed and kicked over his shoulder. After their horseplay he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. "We need some alone time," he said looking at her longingly.

It made me long for Edward to see them so wrapped up in each other. Rosalie turned to me, "What's new, Bella?"

I looked at Emmett and he shook his head back and forth letting me know Rosalie was in the dark about what had happened.

"Um, have you heard about Tanya?" I asked hesitantly.

"No, what has the bitch done now?"

"She was murdered last night," I told her outright.

She looked back and forth between me and Emmett waiting for us to tell her it was some kind of sick joke.

"That's not even the worst part," Emmett said.

"Do I want to hear this?" she asked warily.

"I know I sure didn't," I mumbled.

"Edward's been arrested," Emmett told her.

"What?" she screamed jumping off his lap. "Edward killed Tanya?" 

"No," I yelled at her in anger. "God Rose, why would you even think that."

"But you just said…."

"He said Edward was arrested, not that he killed Tanya." I could feel the tears forming in my eyes and my hands began to shake.

"Well, he has nothing to worry about. I'm sure a first year law student could prove he didn't do it," she said to steady me. 

Emmet and I looked at each other. Rose sat back down on his lap before asking, "What else?"

"They set him up pretty good; his used condom disappeared from my trash can."

"He didn't flush it," she asked in shock.

"No," I said ashamed. "I don't have my own bathroom if you recall. I'm sure running into Charlie in the hallway would not be a good thing!"

"So what can we do?" she asked.

"We have to find who is behind this. Who would know what went on at the cabin and have access to the school and my room?"

"Well, any of the cops or any of our guys," Rose said.

"I didn't tell Edward about the rabbits or the words finders keepers, did you tell Emmett?"

Emmett shook his head. "So that leaves us with the cops!" Rosalie said in fear.

I jumped up. "Yeah, and a cop would want to get back at Charlie. He would have access to the school and nobody would think twice about seeing a patrol car at my house. It has to be a cop!"

I pulled out my cell phone and called my dad. After finishing with my brilliant deduction he spoke angrily. "You better be very careful with what you're suggesting, Bells, my guys are clean and I'm willing to stake my life on it."

"Really, dad, are you willing to stake mine? Because I would stake yours, mine and anyone else's that Edward is innocent."

"Yes, I am," he said emphatically. "I have a few leads Bella, just be patient and let me work this out."

"While Edward rots in there? I can't be patient, dad."

"Carlisle is working on getting Edward bail. Just sit tight, honey."

My heart soared at the thought Edward could be released and I finally saw a ray of hope. I instantly hung up and called his cell phone, but it was still turned off. I tried the house and nobody answered. I finally sent a text, hoping Edward would get it the second he got home.

We decided to go to the hospital and check on Jasper. I rode in Emmett's truck but Rosalie had to ride with her body guard.

I was shocked to see Jasper. He looked so healthy when I saw him the day before and now he was so pale, with sunken eyes, and several I.V.'s. He didn't respond when Alice whispered in his ear that we were there.

I walked over and hugged Alice. She looked so worn out and that was very unusual for the usually happy Alice.

"Alice, let Emmett sit with Jasper and you come with us to get something to eat," I suggested.

"I can't leave," she said sadly.

"Sure you can, Em won't leave, will ya?"

"I got it Allie, go ahead and take a break," he assured her.

We were followed down the hallway by Rose's body guard and Alice kept looking back at him suspiciously.

"Don't worry," Rose told her, "he's my hired muscle."

"Why, you date Emmett," Alice said. 

I laughed loudly and agreed it was just what I thought, too.

"Did you hear about Tanya?" Rose asked her.

"Yeah, do you think it's related?" Alice asked.

"Of course, why set up Edward if it isn't related."

"Wait," Alice stopped walking. "Who set up Edward?"

"Didn't Ang and Ben tell you Edward was arrested?" I asked shocked.

"No, and that is pretty crucial, need to know information," she complained.

"I guess they felt you were dealing with so much already. My dad said Carlisle is trying to get him out on bail."

We sat in the hospital cafeteria trying to take Alice's mind off of Jasper, but she was so consumed, it was an impossible task. After asking to go back to his room for a third time we finally gave up.

As we headed down the hallway I received a text: _I'm home, don't come over._

I stared at the words over and over again. Why wouldn't he want to see me? Did he think I really believed he killed Tanya? I wasn't about to let him push me away. I texted back: _Too bad, I'm coming._

Rose left with her body guard and Emmett drove me to Edward's house. Carlisle answered the door and brought us into the living room where Edward was sitting with his mother. He stood and shook Emmett's hand and then turned to me. I threw my arms around him and felt him tense and awkwardly hug me for a fraction of a second and then pull away.

I felt like he had slapped me in the face. His cold greeting hurt me more than I could put into words and I felt tears begin to fall down my cheeks. I watched as he returned to his seat and his eyes looked only at Emmett.

"Are you guys going to pull out a win tomorrow," he asked.

"If Jake can handle short, I'm just not sure he can take the pressure all at once, he's pretty young." Emmett sat in a chair but I remained standing, staring at Edward in shock.

"Edward," I finally interrupted. "You're going to talk about baseball?"

He glanced at me and quickly turned away. I felt numb and I was having difficulty breathing. I walked over to stand directly in front of him. 

"What about us?" I asked in a strained voice.

He kept his eyes down, refusing to look at me and mumbled, "There is no us."


	5. Chapter 13 to 16

**Chapter 13**

I stared at Edward in amazement and felt my heart slowly breaking into pieces. Could it have really been just yesterday we made love in my room, when I knew in my heart we would be together forever?

I tried to keep my tears from spilling over my eyes and I bounced my knee nervously. "Don't do this to me, Edward," I cried. "I can't take this."

He put his shaking hand over his mouth and was fighting his own tears.

Esme stood and pulled Carlisle and Emmett out of the room to give us some privacy. I knelt down in front of Edward and rested my arms on his thighs.

"I love you," I said emphatically.

He leaned over and said very quietly. "Do you think I will ever be able to touch a woman again, after what I have been through? Both times tore my life apart. I can't love you anymore, Bella. It hurts too much."

"So leaving me doesn't hurt?"

"I'm going to prison, Bella, you need to understand that right now."

"You didn't kill her, and my dad is going to find who did."

"Are you sure I didn't?" he challenged me.

"One hundred percent sure and you know how?"

"How?"

"You would never touch her the same night you made love to me. It isn't even a possibility."

Tears began streaming down his face and he sat back, moving away from me. I knew his problems with Tanya had weakened him, but I never realized how much until this very moment. He had used up all the fight he had inside on Tanya over the years, he had nothing left.

"At the cabin, one thing kept me from giving up, you. I refused to stop fighting because I couldn't bear losing you. Now it's your turn to fight for me. Are you giving up?"

He didn't answer and shut his eyes as his tears spilled over.

I dropped my face into my hands crying harder than I have ever cried in my life, "Fight for me, damn it."

I felt his strong arms wrap around me as he joined me on the floor. I put my arms around his neck and pulled him to me. We sat there on the floor crying loudly at the injustice of it all.

Once things calmed down Emmett returned to tell us he was going to go spend some time with Rosalie and would come back around nine at night to get me. I took Edward's hand and pulled him up into his room with me.

He tensed as I led him to his bed, but I pulled him down into my arms. I gently ran my hands through his hair until I heard his breathing become deep and steady. Esme walked by the open door and stopped to look at us. I smiled shyly at her and she nodded as she watched Edward sleep.

I began thinking back to what he said, how he would never be able to touch a woman again and I was so angry that our day had become tainted. Edward deserved something good in his life, but over, and over again, it was taken away.

At eight-thirty I moved to get my cell phone out of my pocket, waking Edward. He looked so much better and a bit of the sparkle was back in his eyes. He looked at me and I smiled, "Can I call Emmett and ask him to leave me here for the night?"

He nodded slowly and rolled onto his back. I called my dad first, to hear he was working on what he hoped to be a promising lead. He wouldn't share it with me. I told him I wouldn't go home until I heard from him and left out the fact I would be staying with Edward.

Emmett was good with me staying the night and I could hear Rosalie talking in the background. I wondered how he was going to pull off spending the night with a bodyguard watching. He told me he would pick me up for the game the next day.

I rolled onto my side and looked at Edward. He blinked a couple of times but didn't say anything. I reached out and ran my fingers down his arms and he closed his eyes tightly.

"I love you," I whispered.

He finally looked at me and said, "I'm really messed up."

"I don't mind."

"You deserve better."

"I want you."

"I don't know if I can make love to you."

"Then I'll make love to you."

I saw his mouth twitch like he was going to smile, but then sadness filled his eyes.

"I trusted you, Edward. Now trust me."

I moved over him to straddle his hips letting my hair form a curtain around us. "I only want to kiss you, that's all."

I leaned in slowly and felt him tense, so I moved from my intended target, his mouth, to his cheek. I kissed him softly and moved to his forehead repeating the gesture. I kissed my way to his ear and took his lobe gently in my mouth. He turned his head and leaned in to the kiss. I made my way down his throat to his collar bone and he actually moaned.

I worked my way back to his ear and whispered. "I love you so much. I will never stop loving you."

His arms came willingly around me and he pulled me flat against his chest. "I don't know what to do, Bella."

I knew he wasn't talking about our physical relationship; he was talking about his life spiraling out of control right before his eyes.

"I know, I know." It was all I had to offer. I couldn't stop anything and I couldn't promise him anything. I could only hold him and let him know he wasn't alone.

We stayed in his bed, leaving the door open for the remainder of the night. We didn't talk much but just touched each other. I ran my hands down his back as he traced my face with his fingers. It was intimate without being sexual. It was just what he needed.

The next morning Carlisle woke us to say Edward's lawyer would be stopping by to speak alone with Edward. I caught a ride home with Carlisle on his way to work and quickly showered and dressed for the game.

I was waiting for Emmett when Ben called. "Did you decide what you want to do about the jeep?"

"Do you mind running me by after the game?"

"Not at all, do you want me to pick up a battery for you?"

"That would be great Ben. I'll pay you for it, I have no idea what to get."

"No problem."

He was so sweet and I knew why Angela fell for him. I would make sure and tell her what a great couple I thought they made, even though I felt they were too young to marry.

I called my dad and he sounded very stressed. He assured me things were moving along and he felt a breakthrough was coming soon. It drove me crazy he wouldn't give me a hint. I told him I would be at the game and he asked me to give the team his best.

The game was insane and I was so sad Edward had to miss it. We won by one run and Emmett was pouting because they walked him every time he got up to bat. Jake made a couple of mistakes, but overall filled in nicely for Edward.

After the game I headed over to Ben, "Where's Ang?"

"Her dad is freaking out and he wants to send her away. She thinks she can change his mind if she hangs around the house and doesn't add to his worry." Ben looked upset and it made me smile to think he was anxious to be physical with Angela.

"I'm sorry," I said knowing he was probably worried about the wedding and having to deal with a hysterical bride, too.

"Thanks, Bella," he said with a smile, "You ready?"

We walked to his Volkswagen and I noticed the Sears battery on the back seat. "What do I owe you, Ben?"

"We're good, Bella," he said as if I had offended him.

"No, I'm not letting you pay for it; I'll just get Angela to tell me anyway."

He just smiled and started the car. We chatted about the wedding plans and his desire to get on at the post office like his father. The closer we got to the turn off the more nervous I became.

"You okay?" he asked as he squeezed my hand.

"I'm just really glad you're here. I don't mean to freak out, but can we do this really fast."

"Sure. How's Edward doing?" he asked to distract me I'm sure.

"It's awful, Ben. He just can't catch a break."

He only nodded.

"I know you think it was wrong for us to have sex, but we don't share the same values you and Angela do." It angered me a little to think he was judging me.

"I know, most of the world doesn't think the way I do. I'm okay with being different," he said with a big smile.

"Does it scare you to marry so young? I mean, it's a big responsibility."

"I'm not worried, you know what they say, 'God watches over drunks and fools.'"

Ben turned on his turn signal and moved onto the shoulder to find the obscure dirt road. I took a deep breath and mentally challenged myself to be brave.

My heart was pounding out of my chest as we made our way down the winding road. I held tightly to the handle and kept making sure the door was locked. The road was darker than I remembered due to the cloud cover. It looked like rain was coming and I only hoped it didn't hit while we were there.

We came around the curve to see the house in front of us. It looked sad and empty. Tiny pieces of police tape remained attached to the trees and the door. My eyes were drawn to the spot where Mrs. Klein's body had been. It looked so innocent now, a simple, flat, slab of concrete.

We came to a stop and Ben reached his hand out for my keys. I handed them to him with a shaky hand. He got out and I opened my door and pulled the seat forward so he could get the battery.

I saw a huge knife he put into his pocket and was happy he thought ahead. We wouldn't be without a weapon if anything happened. He lifted the heavy battery and walked toward the jeep. I followed him and pulled the lever to open the hood. 

"Can you grab me the wrench on the back seat of my car?"

I grabbed it and put it into his waiting hand. I was getting antsy and I wanted him to move faster. I began to shiver and went back to his car to wait.

I went to the driver's side since I would have Ben drive my jeep. I wasn't up to making the drive down the long dirt road yet. The jeep had too many memories.

I sat in the seat and reached down for the handle to pull it forward a little, so my legs could reach the pedals. Something caught on my hand and I pulled it from under the seat to see what it was.

Tangled around my fingers was a long, fire red, wig.

**Chapter 14**

My heart stopped. My brain was swirling with information coming at me so fast it was hard to sort it out. I remembered looking at the woman dressed it coveralls. She was big, muscular, for a woman. I only saw her from a distance in the dark and assumed it was a woman by the long red hair.

I thought about the game, how I was punched out of nowhere by someone way too strong to be Tanya and how Angela and Ben helped me up. Ben had touched me; Ben had swimming practice before the game and access to the locker room.

When Angela came to see Rose they had run into Alice and knew about Edward and me sleeping together. Ben ran into Jasper in the hallway and gave him his extra Gatorade. It must have been given to Jasper tainted. I had stopped by the police station giving Ben time to go through my room. Ben wouldn't sleep with Angela…because he was gay.

Ben knew all about Edward's hatred of Tanya and Ben could have easily gone to a bible camp. I slowly turned to look at the boy messing with my jeep. I reached for the ignition and his keys were gone. I could see the metal of the knife shinning from his back pocket.

I got out of the car and pretended to be bored, drumming my fingers on the roof. He looked over at me and I smiled. "I think I'm going to face my fears and walk inside the house," I said shakily.

"Want me to come?"

"Naw, I'll just be a second."

My legs were shaking and I hoped he just thought it was my fear of the house. When I got inside I began frantically looking for one of the makeshift knives we had fashioned out of glass.

I ran down the hallway and pulled the attic stairs down making it appear like I had gone up there. I shut all the bedroom doors so he would have to search every room and headed out to the back deck.

"Bella," I heard him call.

I grabbed a piece of broken glass and ducked behind the Jacuzzi. The water was still stained red but the animal head was gone.

"Bella, if I have to find you, I get to keep you."

My blood turned to ice. The voice was so much more haunting knowing who it belonged to.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, come out, come out, wherever you are."

I tried to hold my breath and hoped my shaking didn't move the water in the Jacuzzi. I heard his footsteps in the kitchen and prayed he didn't come onto the deck. He turned and headed back towards the front of the house.

I looked around and saw a manufactures tag attached to the Jacuzzi lid lying against the wall. I reached over and pulled it off using it to wrap around the piece of glass in my hand.

I could hear doors opening and closing but I couldn't tell how far down the hallway he was. I needed to find a safe place to hide until it got dark. If he walked into the yard behind the house he would easily spot where I was crouched.

"Bella," he screamed in anger coming my way.

He stood on the deck looking into the forest and his breathing was heavy. I was terrified he would turn around to see me but he headed off the deck and around the side of the house.

I crawled from my hiding place and went back into the house. I listened to see if I could hear where he was and he called out my name. I could tell he was walking along the tree line in the back and made my way out the front door.

I checked my jeep but he had the keys. I stayed low and made my way back to his car. I opened the small trunk and climbed inside grabbing an empty glass pop bottle to swing at him if he opened the lid.

It seemed like a good hour I listened to him pace and scream and cuss at me. I was sweating from stress and I needed to pee. He finally got back into his car and sat for several minutes. When the engine finally started I felt tears of joy form in my eyes.

He drove down the path awhile and stopped. "No, no, no," I thought. I heard him get out and walk to the back of the car. I held the bottle tightly with both hands. He stood silently for quite a while.

"Shit," he said softly.

He got back in the car and continued down the dirt road. Once he got onto the highway he drove about a mile and pulled over. He sat there for almost an hour. He must have thought I could hot wire my jeep and was going to run me off the road.

I was just about to pee in my pants when the car started again. He was speeding and passing traffic driving wildly. I was afraid he would wrap the car around a tree and take me out with him.

When he got to the spot on the road where he needed to turn left towards Forks he turned right. I felt panicked and had no idea where he was going. I suddenly heard my phone, which was still in my purse, ring.

"Damn it," I said to myself. I didn't think to grab my phone.

Ben pulled to a stop and dug through my purse. "Hi Edward," he said calmly.

"She's in her jeep heading to your house. Can you tell her she left her phone in my car; it must have fallen out of her pocket. Just so you know she was acting really weird, did you two have a fight or something?"

"No, she was talking about you and Tanya. I told her I didn't think you ever had feelings for Tanya, but she just kept saying she didn't believe the story you told her."

I wanted to scream. Edward was fragile enough without this son-of-a-bitch putting thoughts in his head.

He hung up and spun the car around. I wanted to cry when I felt the familiar twists and turns of the dirt road again. He needed to dispose of my jeep to make his story plausible. I would wait for him to drive off in it and make my way into the forest to hide.

He stopped and I heard him pacing back and forth. He walked to the back of the car and suddenly the trunk light came on as he lifted the lid. I sprung from the back and knocked him right in the stomach causing him to stagger back a few steps.

I ran for the house and just as I got through the door I felt a strong hand grab my hair. My head snapped back and I felt a cold sharp blade against my throat.

"Finders, keepers," he laughed.

He pushed me forward into the common room and made his first mistake. He spun me around and let go of me. With a knife at my throat I would have been force to do anything, now I had options.

"You stupid bitch," he said laughingly.

"Why, Ben? What did we ever do to you?"

"You all thought you were better than me. You looked down on me for my religion but I found a new religion…I found one with power. Look at me now Bella, you will gravel at my feet, just like Tanya did."

"There is nothing wrong with being gay, Ben. It doesn't make you evil. We would have understood."

His eyes widened in shock and he looked at me stunned for a second. "Yes it does make me evil. It makes me an heir with Satan."

"No, Ben, it makes you capable and deserving of love."

"Shut up," he screamed.

I realized I had to keep him talking and hoped to have time to think of something. "Why did you set up Edward? He was your friend."

"He became expendable. I wanted Tanya to pay for how she treated me, and Edward was…good…until he touched you," he spit at me.

I realized he had a crush on Edward and I needed to use that information. "Do you know why it took Edward so long to touch me, because he was confused, he had an attraction to guys and I convinced him if he slept with me it would go away?"

"You're lying," he said in a softer voice.

"Do you think he would have left Tanya and refused to touch me, if I was?"

I didn't want him to think about it too hard, so I change the subject, "Why Mr. and Mrs. Klein?"

"I needed to see the inside of the cabin; she would have given a description of me or James."

"I talked to James, I was at the jail and I saw him. He needs you Ben. He's scared and alone."

I could see pain form in Ben's eyes. I kept quiet and let him think about it for a minute.

He finally took a long breath and held his knife up. "I can't do anything for him now, and it's your fault."

"Ben, just walk away. I won't tell because I love Angela. Just walk away and let Edward's lawyer prove him innocent. I will keep my mouth shut and you will do the same."

"I'm not stupid, Bella," he yelled waving the knife.

"Neither am I, Ben. We can make a deal."

"Fine, here's the deal. You die and I live."

I stared into his eyes for a moment when something reflecting on the metal refrigerator caught my eye, and gave me all the confidence I needed. "I won't let you kill me, Ben," I said boldly.

"You don't have a choice, Bella."

I smiled at him, "My dad says I do."

"What are you talking about," he demanded.

"Turn around and see."

He whipped around to see police lights coming down the road flashing through the forest.

That was his second mistake.

I lunged at his back pushing him forward and ran past him for the door as my father burst through the back of the house. Ben jumped up to run after me just as Charlie threw his arms around his waist. Ben's arms were still free and he chucked the knife as hard as he could.

I felt a burning pain hit me right in the middle of my back and my legs went numb, sending me tumbling to the ground.

**Chapter 15**

This was the end. This was how the story would finish when it made its way through the town. Ben was caught; it was such a shock, poor Bella fought so hard just to die in the very last moment. I forced myself to turn around and watch the ending.

I saw my father's face twist with pain with the realization the knife hit its intended target. I saw Ben give up in the realization he had been caught and his power ended so totally. I watched as my dad pulled Ben to his feet and threw him against the wall in rage, over, and over again.

Ben's head made contact with the drywall and then snapped forward from the force of my father's arms, only to be pushed back into the wall again. The flashing lights began to surround the room like strobe lights at a dance club.

A stretcher was brought in and I was placed upon it on my stomach, the knife pointing eerily from my back and driven to the highway only to be transferred into a helicopter. I rose high above the forest with the thump, thump, thump of the helicopter blades. Each one counting the ways I was being taken from Edward.

I landed atop a hospital in Seattle, alone. Everyone telling me not to worry, not to be afraid, they would take good care of me. They were strangers and now strangers were the good guys. It was friends who could come close enough to tear your life apart one piece at a time.

The white sterile halls were a stark contrast to my blood soaked clothes. My urine stained pants were not a concern; I was completely unaware of my legs, for now they didn't even exist.

A clock hung on the wall and gave me something to concentrate on. The second hand spun as I slowly, methodically, gave up every ounce of hope for a happy future.

Time passed, rooms changed, new doctors came and went, but with the help of strong pharmaceuticals it was one huge blur. The only day that I could single out was the one when Edward came in, holding a t-shirt with the words 'state champs' written on it.

He sat next to my bed and held my hand. I told him how proud I was and he gave me a play by play of the game. When he finished his eyes turned sad and he bit his lip trying to find courage to tell me something. The only thing he could say that would hurt me was he was leaving.

I finally said it for him, "You're leaving."

He put my hand to his lips and kissed it over, and over again, "I need to ask for a big favor, Bella."

I nodded. I would give him anything. I would give my life for him.

"I need help. I need to get my head screwed on straight."

"Of course," I told him.

"Here's the favor part, I want you to wait for me. I want you to wait for however long it takes. I want to be so selfish that I know you are here for me when I'm ready."

I know he thought he meant it at the time. He couldn't know that time, and space, would ruin us forever. He didn't understand that some beautiful woman would be right there when he got better, and steal his heart before he had a chance to return. This was stuff I recognized, but he didn't.

I nodded because I couldn't speak.

"I love you," he said softly.

"Not enough," I thought in my head.

And I let him go. I let him walk out of the room believing he would return. Ben won, he found our hearts whole and got to keep them broken…finders keepers.

The Cullen's put Edward in a very expensive hospital and moved from Forks. Angela got her moment when she ran into Ben in the hallway of the courthouse. She walked right up to him as he was restrained with his hands behind his back. She looked him right in the eyes and spoke the only way Angela knows how, right from her heart.

"Ben, I would have been your friend. I would have prayed for you, and been happy for you when you found some boy to love. I would have supported you in every way. You confused my kindness with weakness. You thought my faith made me judgmental. You mistook my love for stupidity."

She pulled her foot back and kicked him as hard as she could in the balls and said, "You were wrong." And she walked away with her head held high.

Jasper lost his leg, but kept his Alice. She will spend the rest of her life by his side, filling the void his hard life left him with. Jessica dumped Mike and found a man who felt he hit the jackpot when he met her. Lauren followed Eric to California. They have had a bumpy road, but are still together. Rose ended up pregnant and married Emmett. They have a beautiful daughter and her father is paying for whatever Emmett's baseball scholarship doesn't.

Charlie solved the case after all. He checked the surveillance camera at the gas station closest to the cabin and found a tape with Ben and a long haired blond boy coming in a few days before our trip.

That, coupled with the fact Laurent was at a local Bible camp, made him suspected Ben. The further he dug, the more he found. A camera from a bank on the corner where the Klein's lived, caught a glimpse of Ben's Volkswagen, as well as a neighbor of the Denali's saw Ben's car parked around the corner the night Tanya was killed.

I thought my father almost killed Ben, but it was nothing compared to what he wanted to do to Emmett for letting me out of his sight. When he found out Ben took me to get my jeep he put together a team and rushed right to the cabin. Seeing his face in the reflection on the refrigerator was the happiest moment of my life. The flashing lights were an added bonus.

I graduated from Washington State with decent grades. I worked, and studied, and ate, and breathed, but I wasn't living. I had lost my reason to live.

A knock on my apartment door made me hesitant. I never had visitors and I wasn't expecting anyone. I looked through the peep hole and made the young man holding flowers show me his identification before I opened the door.

He handed me a dozen roses and I hadn't even realized it was my birthday. I looked for a card and couldn't find one. "Who are these from?"

The guy shrugged and said, "I'm just supposed to tell you, Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, do you know who paid for them?"

"No, it was an online order; we get paid by the service not the individual."

I told him to hold on while I got a tip but he was gone when I returned. I put the flowers on my table and stared at them. I thought up every scenario I could think of, but none of them seemed realistic.

I finally convinced myself my secretary must have sent them, feeling sorry for me spending my birthday alone.

I unbuttoned my dress and headed for the bedroom when a quiet knock, so gentle I wasn't sure if I heard it, came to my door. I looked out again to see someone facing the street, his copper hair a mess and his leg bouncing nervously.

I opened the door slowly afraid if I opened it to fast the hallucination would end. The tall man turned to meet my gaze. His green eyes sparkled and his mouth pulled into a huge smile.

I stood there stunned, I couldn't move and I couldn't speak, but my eyes poured tears down my cheeks. His expression changed to one of apprehension. He nodded and said my name. It was the same voice even though his chin was more chiseled and his face a little weathered.

"Am I too late?" he asked.

I wanted to fall into his arms and kiss him passionately, telling him I loved him and my life would now be happy, but I couldn't. My heart was terrified of him.

"I tried so hard to be brave, Edward. I don't have anything left. Seeing you standing here has consumed the very last ounce of bravery I have in my body. Please…."

"I came back, I promised you I would come back. I only need to know if you kept your promise and waited for me."

"All I have ever done was wait for you, why would you need to ask me that question?"

"I can be the man you need now," he said pleading with me.

"You always were the man I needed; I knew it, you didn't."

"You can hate me if it helps, but I'm not leaving here without you. I worked really hard to turn my head around and I did it for you." He had a new confidence that was different from the Edward I knew.

"You don't get it Edward, we could have worked together. You wasted years that could have been ours."

I saw something in his eyes that was determined, a strength that was never there before and I could tell he wasn't about to give up without a fight.

"I won't let you do this to us, Bella. I was a stupid kid before. I had nothing to offer you that was lasting. I worked very hard to make it back to you, and yeah, it took a long time, but if you give me a chance I can show you it was worth it."

He stepped closer to me and put his hands behind my neck and placed his forehead on mine, "Fight for me, damn it."

"I can't, if I lose you again, I will die," I whispered.

"Then I will fight for both of us." He pulled my mouth to his and kissed me passionately. I stood there with my hands limp at my side and let him fill my head with the fantasy. My heart sped up and my chest was heaving. He moved me back and shut the door with his foot before turning me and pushing me up against the door.

His mouth moved to my throat and I shut my eyes hoping I could recall the feeling at will after he left. He grabbed my hand and put my palm against his erection and sighed loudly.

"You don't know how long I have dreamed of your touch."

He wasn't pulling away, or telling me to be careful, or chastising me for wanting him. My other hand came alive and moved slowly up his chest and into his hair. He closed his eyes and swayed a bit before leaning into me again with another passionate kiss.

"God, Bella, I need you."

"Edward," I called out finally believing he was here and he was going to stay. He lifted me off the ground and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me towards my bedroom.

This time our love was different. He wasn't careful and contained. He poured out all of his heart into my body. He didn't hold back his cries of ecstasy, he screamed right along with me. If he ever left me again, it would absolutely kill me.

We traveled back and forth between my apartment in Seattle and his in Washington, D.C. until Thanksgiving. Edward got offered a job at the Paris Embassy. He wasn't an Ambassador, but he was working his way up the ladder.

He came to Seattle and told me there was one last thing he needed to do before he could move forward. He felt it was important for both of us to face our past. We decided to go to Forks for Thanksgiving.

The drive was nerve wracking and we sat silently holding hands. I felt his grip tighten as he turned on that narrow, winding dirt road. I stared unemotionally at the worn, empty cabin. Kids had written graffiti on the walls and the forest was encroaching on the space reclaiming it as wilderness.

I walked through the rooms telling Edward everything I could remember about those days and nights. We walked to the stream and I stood where the thicket had trapped Mr. Klein's body and watched beautiful trout swim by.

There was nothing there to hurt me, or scare me, it only saddened me to remember the excited girls who came here and left forever scarred. "I'm ready, I'm done, I'm healed," I said to Edward.

We drove into Forks and went past the school. A sign in remembrance of the baseball state championship hung proudly over the scoreboard. Our next stop was the cemetery. Edward walked alone to Tanya's grave and place flowers. I could see him talking and his shoulders were high and straight. He said everything he had always wanted to say when fear kept him from it. We drove straight to the Denali's.

I stood on the doorstep next to Edward, waiting for the maid to fetch Mr. Denali. He looked exactly like he did five years ago. Edward cleared his throat and began.

"Mr. Denali, I am sorry for what happened to Tanya. She didn't deserve to be murdered just as I didn't deserve what she did to me. She stole my life and slowly killed me inside, and you helped her. But I have changed, and I now know my life is truly mine, and nobody can take it away unless I give permission. You do not have permission to ever fuck with me again."

He turned to me and said, "I'm ready, I'm done, I'm healed."

We had one last visit to make before moving to Paris and beginning our lives together. We sat in the cold room with nothing but a square table separating us from a shackled Ben. He looked like the same sweet, courteous boy we thought he was; only now we knew better.

"I have to find a way to stop hating you, Ben, not for your sake, but for mine. I don't hate you for the terror you put in my life or for the scar in my back I will carry with me forever, but for taking the most precious thing in my life and tainting it."

He looked into my eyes and said, "I know it doesn't mean much, Bella, but I am sorry."

"I can't accept the apology yet, but I'm working on it."

He looked at Edward. "I did exactly what Tanya did to you but I just did it behind your back. I have to respect the fact she was open about her treachery. I am sorry for all the help I gave her and all the information I fed her."

Edward's eyes widened. "I thought you were my friend. I gave you every opportunity to confide in me, to let me be there for you as you worked through your feelings, but you stabbed me in the back, too."

Tears formed in Ben's eyes. "Well, you both have the comfort of knowing I will never walk out these doors as long as I live. So, if you ever need another apology you know where to find me."

We both nodded and stood to leave. Ben rose and said, "Take care of each other," as the guard led him from the room.

We went back to my house, which was so different since Charlie had remarried. We walked through each room until we came to the office that was once my bedroom. Edward shut the door and I turned to look at him. He smiled his old smile, the one that would put my heart in my throat.

When he lowered himself to one knee I threw my hand over my mouth and tears came instantly to my eyes.

"This is way overdue, Bella. But this is where I realized the depth of my love for you, and this is where I want to ask you to be with me forever. I love you and want you to be my wife."

I knelt down in front of him. "Edward, you are the only person in the world I have ever loved and it will always be just you. Yes, I will be your wife."

In that moment the haunting phrase would now bring nothing but joy to my life. Edward and I found our way back together and we would keep each other forever. Finders Keepers!


End file.
